Henrick Vartanian
Hello, I must be going (Oscilloscope Pictures) was the opening night film at Sundance 2012.
Director Todd Louiso (“Love Liza”) delivers a warm and funny romantic comedy with seemingly odd yet likable characters, and a possible favorite for most indie lovers.
Plotwise: Melanie Lynskey (“Two and a Half men”) plays Amy, the average American girl in her 30s struggling with her current situation – a divorce on the horizon by a husband who just does not love her anymore.
Amy’s flat daily existence suddenly meets excitement as she dives into an affair with the 19-year-old Jeremy, portrayed by Christopher Abbott (HBO’s “Girls”), the son of a business man who will potentially enter into a large transaction with Amy’s father which can help her parents finally retire with a safety net.
The secrecy of the affair is a bigger challenge since Amy now lives under her parents’ roof in suburban Connecticut while still meeting her soon-to-be ex husband for weekly lunches.
Abbot brings a combination of innocence, intelligence and honesty to the character, and does so by applying just the right amount to each attribute.
Lynskey’s takes on a character that may not have color at first or be easily likeable, but she unveils her and gives us the right amount of glimpse to show the heartbroken woman inside. She gives it a dash of Indie movie charm, making this a winning performance.
The chemistry between Melanie Lynskey and Christopher Abbott is as natural as it gets on film, and for this kind of a cougar-cub affair. The actors give their characters this breathing room, so the audience can familiarize themselves with each side. That also helps us buy into the attraction and perhaps fall for these two fairly decent, loving human beings.
Though the parental units could have been developed a hair more, Blythe Danner, as Amy’s mother, is the right amount of assertive and concerned with her own set of worries, and therefore memorable.
We really like this film, it’s charm and humor and we hope you will go see it.
Hello, I Must be Going (rated R) opens on limited release on Sept. 7, 2012
CLICK HERE for the film’s official website.