Goodbye to All That

Paul Schneider (Parks and Recreation) stars as a newly single dad navigating the good, the bad, and the weird of the 30-something singles scene in this whip-smart comedy. When his wife unexpectedly informs him that she wants a divorce, well-meaning but oblivious husband Otto Wall (Schneider) finds himself thrust back into bachelorhood. Cue a hilarious sequence of romantic encounters—from reconnecting with a former crush to online dating—as Otto searches for the real thing amidst a string of one night stands. Directed by the acclaimed writer of Junebug, this sexy farce co-stars Anna Camp, Heather Graham, Amy Sedaris, and Melanie Lynskey. This is the kind of film that Hollywood doesn't make anymore. A simple family comedy/drama that is both light hearted and poignant with a focus on character and performance. While Schneider probably won't win any awards for his turn as Otto it should be noted that he knocked it out of the park. This is the kind of film that would completely fall a part if our lead wasn't likable. He's not a bad man, he's just somewhat clueless and irresponsible. In the hands of a lesser actor his character could have easily been buffoonish and irritating. The film also surrounds Scheider with a strong supporting cast who add both humor and heart to this little gem of a movie. I hope that last sentence didn't come across as condescending or snarky because I meant it with my whole heart. This movie is a little gem. It reminds me of comedy/dramas of the late 70s and early 80s that I deeply miss. The films touches on how social media has impacted dating without getting into Disconnect territory. It shows how Facebook can be used to catch up with old friends and reconnect with loved ones but it also shows how Facebook can be used to connect with new friends and have sex with them in a shower while you are in a committed relationship. The film gracefully walks the line between comedy and drama without ever fully landing on one or the other.

The last ten minutes is to define the title! Try to expect from the film what the title signifies. Then this will be a decent film to have. As we know there's no big names in the cast, as well as from behind the camera. But the whole film discloses is what people do when their marriage fails, in order to move on. That's not it, there's a message, that it ends with, especially about the children of the splitting couple. Seems it is a nice one from that angle, though overall film is not a clever enough to attract all kinds of viewers. When his wife suddenly breaks the news that she wants a divorce, the husband in a surprise tries his best to convince her not to, but nothing works. All the separation affair can be solved easily as they have a good understanding. So they try to move on, particularly the father who meets many women, including his old school and college mates. But what they are not seeing is their young daughter who is affected by all this. So where the story heads from there is told in the remaining. For the first time direction, this is not a bad film. A low budget, short film with a simple storyline. Well intended film on what it wanted to say. But nothing was told straight, everything was about not being single, that means dating and sex was the priority. Only in the last ten minutes it tries to turn around. That's where the story and the title overlaps. Really the nice performances, particularly Paul Schneider, who has been seen mostly in the supporting roles. So I think it is worth a watch if you are not forcing yourself. 6/10