A real film about how life sort of just happens. very relatable story and characters. The story plays out like events would in life and that was what made this movie so great. if you enjoy stories that are more realistic then this is for yo Lizzy Caplan and Alison Bree are stellar and you will fall in love with them. The dialogue is key in this film so enjoy and pay attention. i will say the last scene wasnt my favorite but the rest of the story makes up for it
As played by Lizzy Caplan, Sarah is aloof on top and a jumbled bag of conflicting emotions underneath. Despite personal reservations, she is moving in with her boyfriend Kevin (Geoffrey Arend), who is in a band with her sister's fiancé Andrew (Martin Starr). Alison Brie plays Sarah's sister Beth with an air of lightly affected conviction to the superiority of her own judgment; she chalks up Sarah's reticence to immaturity, telling her, "it's time to grow up."
Beth represents two hurdles for Sarah. In addition to being Sarah's sister, with all of the familial obligations entailed therein, she also embodies the straight-world, grown-up deference to consensus that Sarah, as an artist and as an individual, rails so intently against. "This whole thing feels very... practical," she laments about moving in with Kevin, with resignation. Beth, on the other hand, is incapable of seeing "practical" as a pejorative; she is fussy and fastidious with her time, her money, and her emotions. To Brie's credit, Beth never exhibits any malice or indifference -she means well, but has simply allowed the onus of responsibility to rest too strongly upon her. She considers her sacrifices of will a virtue and fails to understand why they're not appreciated.
Sarah, however, has a distinct point at which she will no longer compromise her instincts, and that point is marriage. She is happy for Beth and Andrew, but is adamant in her own distrust and disbelief in the practice. Despite this, Kevin makes the ill-advised decision to propose to Sarah at the first show of their band's upcoming tour. When she runs, mortified, out of the club, Kevin is decimated. She moves out and he goes off on tour, but video of his failed proposal has made it to the internet; the constant reminder of his heartbreak is too much for him to bear, and they cancel the remaining shows.
Sarah, meanwhile, has been starting a tentative relationship with Jonathan (Mark Webber), a frequent patron of her bookstore. Jonathan is not an opportunist, and both are aware of the pitfalls of a rebound relationship, but their chemistry is strong. After dinner at Sarah's apartment, they share a brief first kiss. "I don't know what I'm doing," Sarah confides, to which Jonathan gentlemanly responds, "I know, and for that I'm going to leave."
Beth struggles to see past Sarah's seeming disregard for Kevin's feelings, but Andrew more quickly warms to Jonathan. It is Andrew, in fact, who remains the calm center of the film, and Starr's straightforward, guileless performance anchors the other four performers. He is level-headed and even-tempered, able to read people accurately and willing to do so without letting preconceptions or bias get in the way.
There are two moments in particular in which Beth's silent repentance betrays her reliance upon Andrew for emotional perspective. The first is early in the film, when she chastises him for making coffee when they have to hurry to the post office to drop off their Save the Date cards. Andrew, a few steps behind, approaches Beth, standing tersely at the intersection outside of their house, waiting to cross the road; he hands her one of two travel mugs, at which she smiles ever so slightly. The second comes much later in the film, after the conflict between Beth and Sarah has reached a fever pitch. Climbing into bed, Andrew -uncharacteristically blunt -says, "The girl that you're acting like right now is not the girl that I fell in love with." The look on Beth's face as she stares at him in the darkness could almost be anger, but as it lingers in silence, we see that any anger she may have is directed at herself.
Mohan and his co-writers Egan Reich and the cartoonist Jeffrey Brown wisely never stray too far from the relationship of the sisters, and the veracity of their interactions is possibly the film's greatest asset. The dynamic between Brie and Caplan is perfectly rendered with just the right balance of disdain, obligation, and genuine affection; throughout the film I couldn't help but be reminded of my wife's relationship with her sister and how true these episodes rang to me.
Brutal emotional honesty is actually an asset that the film in general can claim, offering none of the characters easy answers, nor offering the audience a tidy resolution. Over the past decade, critics have been using the term Mumblecore to describe the work of a small group of filmmakers who have turned no-budget filmmaking into a venue for intimate character studies and relationship dramas. As scene progenitors like Joshua Leonard (with the criminally under-seen and under-rated The Lie) and The Duplass Brothers (with the phenomenal one-two punch of Cyrus and Jeff Who Lives at Home) have been successfully transplanting their DIY aesthetic to major studios, many established actors and filmmakers have ben borrowing from the strengths and lessons of this new style of personal filmmaking. Within this growing genre, Save the Date represents the most honest, unadorned look at what it means to commit to another human being, with fine, sympathetic performances all around and an astute screenplay that respects all of its characters as well as their circumstances equally.
[originally published on Considering Film]Lizzy Caplan steals your heart as a complex, self gaurded 30something who has love thrown at her when it's the farthest thing she wants. She most choose between the love she has become comfortable with, and the rebound guy turned soulmate. As well as her sister's (Alison Brie) wedding witch she feels obligated to help with. Great performances from Mark Webber, Geoffrey Arend and Martin Starr also.
Read Best Reviews of Save the Date (2012) Here
Really enjoyed this movie and the dark humor was a nice departure from the standard, cliched romcom. Sad at times and i wish it didn't end where it did (not that i'm always opposed to ambiguous endings), but I'd definitely watch it again! Loved the cast and in particular thought Lizzy Caplan did SUCH a credible job with the role.Want Save the Date (2012) Discount?
Save the Date is a sweet and yet serious indie flick about two sisters who are as different as night and day. Sarah is terrified of commitment (Lizzy Caplan) and Beth (Alison Brie) is happily engaged. Sarah's live-in boyfriend proposes to her in a very public setting and she breaks up with him, and immediately begins a sexual relationship with Jonathan (Mark Webber). Beth is cynical about Sarah's new situation, she feels her sister is just passing time and is afraid to take risks in her safe little world. I thought Lizzy Caplan and Mark Webber have intense and wonderful chemistry, and I also thought Caplan's performance was heartbreaking and electric, this is the best I've ever seen her. Save the Date is a great film, it's not for everyone but if you're a fan of indie flicks then this one is for you. Enjoy!Save 17% Off
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