Laura Smiles
Laura Smiles ***1/2
Directed by Jason Ruscio
Written by Jason Ruscio
Starring:
Petra Wright as Laura
Kip Pardue as Chris
Mark Derwin as Mark
Jonathan Silverman as Paul
Stephen Sowan as Billy
98 Minutes(Rated R for sexual content, language and brief violence. )
--------------------------------------------------------------
I have a new found admiration and a new found love for Petra Wright-the star of "Laura Smiles" an actress that I've never seen before and wish I have. Not only is she beautiful, but she packs such an enormous amount of energy into this multi-dimensional character that it is one of the better performances I've seen this year by someone who I'm sure I won't see for a while. "Laura Smiles" played at Tribeca two years ago which is where it came to my attention, and I was lucky enough to attend a special free advanced screening of it (it really opens on the 27th, but I saw it on the 26th. . . .oooo). In an audience of about 100, it made me curious to if the actual release will get that many people per showing. It is certainly worth scoping out. It is oddly intense, and the first half of the film has this constant creepy mood that doesn't let go, whether we watch our title character just sit there in her car, or if we watch her actually dazing out into one of her odd daydreams.
When we first meet Laura, she is about 25 and she is meeting her fiancee, Chris, in a diner. The two talk, and he agrees to play hooky from work to go and see a movie with her. And then tragedy strikes when he is struck down by a moving car. Flash ahead to nine years later, and Laura is married and has a son named Brian. It is never said that the son is Chris', but I have a strong feeling that it is-just the timing and the age of the kid. She is married to Mark, and seems happy, even if she is seeing a shrink. But something happens to Laura every now and then-she is triggered by an impulse to be with other men. And this constant adulterous nature begins to threaten the peaceful life that she has created for herself-as well as the somewhat peaceful lives of those around her.
There are two things that make the film effective. The first is the ingenious structure of the screenplay, which constantly plays with your emotions as bits of information come into light. In the beginning, we hardly get a sense at how deep the relationship between Laura and Chris really is. And his death comes as a mild shock, but we can't feel impacted by it because we knew little to nothing about his character. And when Laura begins acting funny, it isn't until after we find out more details about her and Chris when we stop seeing her as this insane and crazy comedic character, and see her for the tragic one that she really is. These little flutters of information and realizations that Ruscio decides to throw at us whenever he feels like really do build the suspense. Answers to little details like how another character got a scratch on his head are not answered until fifteen minutes later, but they really do keep you involved, and certainly made me exclaim aloud several times.
The second thing is, like I said, Petra Wright's performance as Laura. While some people in the crowd would laugh at some of the dialogue, which could be considered awkward at times, Wright makes it realistic. She really does become Laura, and she gives off such a look of beauty and innocence that you begin to see how sad this person really is. And you feel for her. And you want her to smile, but most of the smiles really come at the beginning. And still, even though Laura was happy at one point, her idea that happiness is fleeting seems to have been something that she's experienced all her life. Even though Laura was happy with Chris, there is this sense that she was always somewhat disturbed-something went wrong that stretches beyond the death of what I believe to have been her only love. "Laura Smiles" may slip right past you-and it might not even extend beyond the New York area, but it is certainly worth scoping out, and Petra Wright is certainly somebody to keep an eye on-both professionally and aesthetically.
Playing at:
CC Cinemas Village East
Directed by Jason Ruscio
Written by Jason Ruscio
Starring:
Petra Wright as Laura
Kip Pardue as Chris
Mark Derwin as Mark
Jonathan Silverman as Paul
Stephen Sowan as Billy
98 Minutes(Rated R for sexual content, language and brief violence. )
--------------------------------------------------------------
I have a new found admiration and a new found love for Petra Wright-the star of "Laura Smiles" an actress that I've never seen before and wish I have. Not only is she beautiful, but she packs such an enormous amount of energy into this multi-dimensional character that it is one of the better performances I've seen this year by someone who I'm sure I won't see for a while. "Laura Smiles" played at Tribeca two years ago which is where it came to my attention, and I was lucky enough to attend a special free advanced screening of it (it really opens on the 27th, but I saw it on the 26th. . . .oooo). In an audience of about 100, it made me curious to if the actual release will get that many people per showing. It is certainly worth scoping out. It is oddly intense, and the first half of the film has this constant creepy mood that doesn't let go, whether we watch our title character just sit there in her car, or if we watch her actually dazing out into one of her odd daydreams.
When we first meet Laura, she is about 25 and she is meeting her fiancee, Chris, in a diner. The two talk, and he agrees to play hooky from work to go and see a movie with her. And then tragedy strikes when he is struck down by a moving car. Flash ahead to nine years later, and Laura is married and has a son named Brian. It is never said that the son is Chris', but I have a strong feeling that it is-just the timing and the age of the kid. She is married to Mark, and seems happy, even if she is seeing a shrink. But something happens to Laura every now and then-she is triggered by an impulse to be with other men. And this constant adulterous nature begins to threaten the peaceful life that she has created for herself-as well as the somewhat peaceful lives of those around her.
There are two things that make the film effective. The first is the ingenious structure of the screenplay, which constantly plays with your emotions as bits of information come into light. In the beginning, we hardly get a sense at how deep the relationship between Laura and Chris really is. And his death comes as a mild shock, but we can't feel impacted by it because we knew little to nothing about his character. And when Laura begins acting funny, it isn't until after we find out more details about her and Chris when we stop seeing her as this insane and crazy comedic character, and see her for the tragic one that she really is. These little flutters of information and realizations that Ruscio decides to throw at us whenever he feels like really do build the suspense. Answers to little details like how another character got a scratch on his head are not answered until fifteen minutes later, but they really do keep you involved, and certainly made me exclaim aloud several times.
The second thing is, like I said, Petra Wright's performance as Laura. While some people in the crowd would laugh at some of the dialogue, which could be considered awkward at times, Wright makes it realistic. She really does become Laura, and she gives off such a look of beauty and innocence that you begin to see how sad this person really is. And you feel for her. And you want her to smile, but most of the smiles really come at the beginning. And still, even though Laura was happy at one point, her idea that happiness is fleeting seems to have been something that she's experienced all her life. Even though Laura was happy with Chris, there is this sense that she was always somewhat disturbed-something went wrong that stretches beyond the death of what I believe to have been her only love. "Laura Smiles" may slip right past you-and it might not even extend beyond the New York area, but it is certainly worth scoping out, and Petra Wright is certainly somebody to keep an eye on-both professionally and aesthetically.
Playing at:
CC Cinemas Village East
posted by Eric at
1:37 AM
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