I honestly felt like I had just spent $15 to see something that would have been on the Lifetime Channel (minus the nudity, of course).   I decided to look up some information on the film I saw at the Playhouse West Film Festival, called True Love.  So, I hopped on over to IMDB to check out what the film was ranking, and I was floored.  True Love is rated really high.  It was decent, but nowhere near a magnificent film.  When I say I could have seen this film on Lifetime I mean it.  The acting (besides a few stand-out performances), and the cheesy dramatic scenes (minus a few solid events) made it feel like a made-for-TV hit.

Rating:

True Love is a film about romance.  And, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that writer/director Henry Barrial has seen every single film by Kar Wai Wong (who happens to be one of my favorite directors, and is considered to be one of the most romantic filmmakers today), but he failed to spot everything Wong does right in his films.  What he missed is the tension that rides throughout and the subtle story-telling techniques.  Kar Wai Wong is also a master of criss-crossing people’s lives as they survive out their day-to-day lives.  All of the characters in True Love do connect in some way, but it seems to become forced early on. 

Talking about characters; there were several standouts in the film.  Val Lauren, as Max Modeen, stole the show.  Max felt fully developed and his arc was very well thought out.  Some people may find his change was way too simple of a character arc (because he really doesn’t), but I found it to be the least cliché evolution of any of the cast.  He brought a sense of cockiness to the role that made it feel alive.  Julian Acosta, as Juan, has a small part, as the ex-husband that is having second thoughts on his decision.  His two scenes, while short, in the context of the film carry a well-honed emotion that veers off in other parts of the movie as either too heavy-handed or worse, not strong enough.  I’d also like to throw in Suzy Cote, as Betty, who steals the show pretty much every time Val isn’t in the scene, and if he is, she can match him in intensity.

Every shot was generic and offered nothing in the way of arty or even beautiful cinematography.  The look and feel of the film had Lifetime written all over it.  I know I’ve stated that three times now, but I can’t get over the shock of paying to see a film that should have been on my television.  Not to knock the filmmakers, but it just didn’t feel like a theatrical film at all.

The film starts off with everyone happy and giddy, well except for two people, and by the end of the film, I could have sworn I’d entered an emo rehabilitation clinic.  In fact, I think I need to watch some Monty Python to make me feel better.  If you’re a fan of made-for-TV flicks, this one may be perfect for you.  For those of us that enjoy the full cinematic experience we’ll always have Kar Wai Wong.