Indie Gems: It Felt Like Love

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Bask in the awkwardness.

Lila (Gina Piersanti) is a shy girl that's trying very hard to emulate her more sexually charged friend, Chiara. (Giovanna Salimeni) She mimics some of the stories Chiara tells her to her younger neighbor, pretending she's lived them herself. When she sees Sammy (Ronen Rubinstein) a college aged guy who knows Chiara from his neighborhood, she attempts to insert herself into his life so that she can experience the things she feels she's behind on.

This was a film that had a bit of buzz around the time it was at the Sundance Film Festival a few years ago. It even managed to score a few Independent Spirit Nominations. It's director/writer Eliza Hittman's first full length feature and I think she does a wonderful job. It reminded me a bit of Kids, watching Lila make terrible decisions and put herself in bad situations. Hittman really does capture how awkward those years can be, especially for girls. This film doesn't go as far as Kids did. Sammy, though he never sends Lila away doesn't take advantage of her like you're expecting him too.

Most of the actors in this film were just starting out, or had only a few credits to their name before this. They all felt natural in their roles, and Piersanti showed a lot of promise. It's not a film I'd probably watch again, but I can't help but praise a small film with a great first start by the director and her cast.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B-

Memorable Quote: "But you've had it happen before, right?" - Lila (Gina Piersanti)

Comments

  1. m.brownSeptember 18, 2015 at 9:04 AM

    This sounds pretty interesting. I might check it out...

    Um...is it bad that I have never seen Kids? I feel like I'm letting the 90s down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:18 AM

      I'd actually love to hear your Boo's on that movie. I can already picture some of them. lol

      Delete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2015 at 9:18 AM

    I don't think any film goes as far as Kids does.

    And Mario...it was very hard to get ahold of until recently. I only saw it 2 years ago after having it at #1 in my Netflix Queue for 4 years!!! But...it's worth seeing...even though it's probably the hardest film I've ever watched. I literally squirmed...and shook and wanted to punch people in the face. Like, I was yelling at my TV screen, as if my pleading was going to change what was actually happening.

    UGH.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:14 AM

      Kids has the most unattractive kiss I've ever seen in a film - that opening shot. Ugh. I rented it from the video store when those actually used to exist. lol I've only seen it the one time, I don't think I ever need to again. I remember everything. I'm thankful this movie didn't make me relive that. lol

      Delete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2015 at 9:20 AM

    I find awkwardness to be quite unbearable at times. I'm going to attempt this one and see how i do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:12 AM

      I do too. Sometimes it's really hard for me to watch, I think what helped here is that I couldn't relate to every single thing Lila did, so I had less of self-loathing feeling that I occasionally get watching awkward films.

      Delete
  4. Big Screen Small WordsSeptember 18, 2015 at 7:37 PM

    I didn't like this as much as you did. I understand that she wants to experience what her friend is experiencing but she's so aware of the motivations of her friend's movements, not to mention the situations she gets herself into that she still does what she does even if she had an inkling of what will happen. It kind of got me frustrated with her character that I was just waiting for it to end. I did like the way this was filmed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamSeptember 19, 2015 at 7:17 AM

      I definitely get that. It was hard watching her navigate all of this because she makes such terrible decisions. Some teenagers are stupid though, so I didn't think it was too out of the ordinary.

      Delete
  5. GetterSeptember 19, 2015 at 10:27 AM

    I tried to watch this one but the way it was filmed and the cinematography just didn't work for me at all. I was a little put off by it and therefore I didn't watch it passed its first minutes. I did like its synopsis though, and maybe if I'm in a more forgiving mood I'll watch it again because you have recommended it. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamSeptember 19, 2015 at 1:49 PM

      lol I hope so! I thought the way it was shot was one of its strong points.

      Delete
  6. JoshOctober 5, 2015 at 2:05 AM

    I watched it before voting on the Indie Spirits, and I was a little underwhelmed. The director and star are promising, though.

    ReplyDelete

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