In Search Of A Midnight Kiss

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In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 16/6/2008 2:42:41 PM

Empire Admin

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Post #: 1

Acidic and loveable - 16/6/2008 2:42:41 PM

phaeton

Posts: 214
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: London

I saw this during Raindance and am so glad it's finally come out - have been waxing on and on about it since then which is tedious for all concerned. Utterly lovely film.

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Post #: 2

- 18/6/2008 9:05:34 AM

EmiliaJayne

Posts: 19
Joined: 17/10/2005
From: Nottingham

I just watched this last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At times comic, romantic, awkward and even quite depressing but overall a fantastic film with superb writing and performances.

I will be buying the dvd and forcing it upon my friends!

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 18/6/2008 6:33:40 PM

R W

Posts: 268
Joined: 23/6/2006

Director/Screenwriter: Alex Holdridge
Starring: Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire, Katie Luong

Synopsis
Since it is New Year's Eve, struggled writer Wilson (McNairy) has been supported by his friends to post a personal ad. Thus, he meets Vivian (Simmonds) who is destined to find true love and hopefully, the two will get their midnight kiss.

Review
From the producer of Before Sunrise, writer and director Alex Holdridge presents his third feature that combines the romanticism of Manhattan and the sexual humour of Clerks. Also, like those two dramadies, it is a low-budget black-in-white indie flick.

Influenced by the indie films from the early 90s and the early work by Woody Allen, Holdridge uses sex as a sense of humour through these twentysomething-year-olds in Los Angeles. No matter how witty these people are, Holdridge definitely shows a soft spot by letting them explore the whimsical streets of L.A.

There are a few mishaps about the film, such as the back story of Wilson's friends, played by Brian McGuire and Katie Luong, who seem to try and be as important as the central story. As a film that talks about confessions, its execution is a slow-burning process that tries resolve everything in the end.

They may not be Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, but Scoot McNairy and Sara Simmonds have a fantastic chemistry, in which their characters struggle to get along with each other, and yet there is a spark that shines all the way through the film.

Verdict
First Woody Allen, second Kevin Smith, and now Alex Holdridge has presented a interesting take on the black-and-white romantic comedy.

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 23/6/2008 11:08:29 AM

Bulletproof_Monk

Posts: 681
Joined: 4/10/2005

Definately one of the films of the year so far. Funny, charming, and although owing an obvious debt to Before Sunrise still ends up feeling like its own beast entirely.

Stop moaning about Hulk and Happening and go see this. Now. Still here?

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 23/6/2008 11:58:20 AM

R W

Posts: 268
Joined: 23/6/2006

If you are replying to me, first off I never moaned about Hulk, though I think it is a really good film, and second I haven't seen The Happening, because any good from N Night Shyamalan hasn't happened in a very long time.

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 24/6/2008 12:03:14 PM

Bulletproof_Monk

Posts: 681
Joined: 4/10/2005

Paranoid much?

I was refering to the fact that the review page for The Happening is at nine pages where as the one for this gem is hardly at the bottom of page one...

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Post #: 7

RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 25/6/2008 4:21:33 AM

Acho

Posts: 3903
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Dublin, Co. Ireland

Caught this earlier today before it left cinemas. After a couple of weeks of "big" summer movies such as The Incredible Hulk, Wanted and Prince Caspian, this was truly a lovely change of pace.

Depicting with realism and compassion the great lonliness that can be experienced by even the young and good-looking in a big city, In Search of a Midnight Kiss follows a guy and a girl on new year's eve, as they try to find a connection in the city of angels. The two central characters, Wilson (the wonderfully named Scoot McNairy) and Vivian (Sarah Simmonds) are an engaging pair. While there was some initial irritation with Vivian (her "spikey" character seemed a little contrived and too loud), she soon emerged as a rounded character, with a well-realised story arc. Wilson had the potential to be an inert loser type, who would fail to gain the audiences sympathy, but he came across as witty, smart and considerate.

While there are certainly echoes of Before Sunset in this, the pace of the film is faster, with some actual events driving along the story. The characters don't just talk and expect us to be fascinated - gradual back story is revealed during delicate moments, and the dialogue is peppered with some genuinely funny passages.

The odd cut to the other couple in the story (Wilson's room mate and his girlfriend) so jar slightly, as the momentum of Wilson and Vivian's journey is interupted somewhat, but it isn't a deal-breaker. This is helped mostly by an endearing performance by Brian McGuire as Jacob, Wilson's big-hearted room mate, a character reminiscent of Jason Segal in Freaks and Geeks.

The film avoids the trap of becoming meandering and aimless. The little-seen parts of L.A., nicely shot in black and white, make for a very real back-drop, adding to the believability of the characters and their stories.

* * * * // * * * * *

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 23/1/2009 12:47:23 AM

Lex Romero

Posts: 412
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: southampton

I'm suprised about all the positive comments...

Eh, it was passable. There was a very "student film" vibe from it, clearly 'inspired' by the likes of manhattan and before sunrise it attempts to mesh all these ideas and put a 21st spin on it. But it doesn't really work. With its "struggling writer" main character (ugh) who was depressed and upset from previous relationships he is brought out of this by Vivian, a near typical manic pixie dream girl (ugh). The ending left a bad taste in my mouth, male character is given new hope and inspiration and quickly moves on whilst the girl is left with a life altering problem and a grim out look as her hopes and dreams are most likely never to come true?

I thought the choice of B&W might have just been a pretentious move but after seeing a lot of the shots of the city they did I understand why, the city looks gorgeous, and if you've ever been to LA you know how difficult that is to pull off. B&W seems to hide the ugliness and really show off the cities architecture.

Some of the writing is good and it's commendable that they want to give us a picture of 21st century relationships. But it comes off as a rather horrible mixture of self centred writer/director project using the film to voice his own "boo hoo" relationships and fantasies of a beautiful girl saving him, and a conscious effort to make a film that will be held up as defining 21st century relationships and love.

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 31/7/2010 11:17:41 PM

nutteronabus

Posts: 590
Joined: 27/2/2006

This is on BBC Two in 10 minutes, and should be on iPlayer after that.

I really recommend giving it a look. It's great.

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RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 2/8/2010 2:06:23 AM

ElephantBoy

Posts: 7325
Joined: 13/4/2006

I did catch it for the first time last night, and so far I agree most with Lex Romero's review.

When we had finished watching it Mum said it reminded her a lot of Clerks (yes I have a Mum who has seen Clerks I rule!), which is a good place to start, because the point is that film doesn't ask you to engage or like the characters, its just depicting a certain type of twenty something slackers. This being a romcom it is asking you to like the characters which at times is very hard to do, due to their potty monthed, cyichal natural, self-obsessed rambling. Many scenes are over written, or just too long, and it gets to the stage (more so early on) where you say "Yes I am sure there are people like this in the world, but do I really want to spead ninty minutes in their company?" Plus it does become a little far fatched sometimes.

However there are still some very sweet moments, and the two leads are mostly very likeable, plus the black and White photoagrahy proves very effective. The film deserves credit for ending on a bitter sweet note, reather than tying everything up nicely as these things quite ofton do.

Passible sums it up just perfectly.

5/10

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Post #: 11

RE: In Search Of A Midnight Kiss - 2/10/2010 12:18:09 AM

Emyr Thy King

Posts: 2153
Joined: 13/4/2006
From: The Grid

Well the comparison with "Before Sunset" is enough to make me intrigued as that was a cracking film. It's also shot in monochrome which is an interesting stylistic effect and I'm not sure whether this is a metaphor for the bleakness in their lives? Still, I've ordered it and I'm looking forward to see it. I'll post a review accordingly.

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