Before We Go (2014)

watched on Netflix 03/06/2016




My rating is more of a 3.5 than 4 stars, but the charm and chemistry of the two leads (Chris Evans and Alice Eve) bumped it up.  This is a quiet film, almost restful.  I am guessing that it did poorly in theatrical release. This film required the intimacy of a small screen. The name of Chris Evans has come to be associated with high energy, copious amounts of CGI along with lots of things exploding so I am guessing this is why Chris Evans choose this script for his directorial debut.  Admittedly the plot is minimal, two people stuck in the city and stuck in their lives. There is not so much of a plot presented as a feeling viewed under the limitations of time (approximately 12 hours). One thing this movie had that I dislike as a lazy trope, is the loud music montage while a crucial conversation takes place that we the viewers can only guess at its contents.  Other than that, the movie is scored well.  The cinematography is efficient and crisp.  The directing is competent.  This New York City is dangerous, but not too dangerous with some unbelievably generous (regarding cash and cell phones) people. The action is minimal and almost as limited as a conventional broadway production. John Cullum has a short, but quite effective scene focusing these two "stuck" people on choosing a path, in order to move forward.  While I wish the ending were a little more definitive, it probably symbolized that we all have choices. I would recommend this movie for viewers looking for a quiet, sweet, warm, romance without too much angst or twists.