It
happens, sometimes, that the same actor is in two movies released at
the same time. Last Sunday I ventured to Kendall Square Cinema to catch Safety Not Guaranteed; this week I returned to catch the indie hit Your Sister’s Sister. Both films feature Mark Duplass, albeit in very different starring roles.
Safety Not Guaranteed
In Safety Not Guaranteed, Duplass plays Kenneth, whose personal ad seeking a companion for time travel becomes article fodder for a magazine reporter (Jake M. Johnson of Zooey Deschanel’s comedy New Girl), and whose scientific endeavors may or may not have attracted government attention. Darius (Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza) is the female intern who is drawn to Kenneth even as she fears what her investigation for the article might turn up.
I’m still not sure I know what I want to say about this film. I still adore the trailer, and the potential that I saw in it. In the end, the film was a disappointment. From the trailer, I had hoped that Safety Not Guaranteed would have the best element of The Science of Sleep - the creative beauty reminiscent of rocket ships out of cardboard boxes, masking tape, markers, and buttons: “I believe that there are purists out there and that’s why I put that ad in the paper.” From the title, I supposed there would be an element of risk to the love story (because what else could it be?), but found the film sorely lacking in excitement, adventure, or danger. It was missing a little Wes Anderson - not because I’m a fan of Anderson’s (I’m not), but because the dry quirkiness and sadness didn’t quite settle right. To go in another direction, perhaps the Duplass brothers could have studied the Polish brothers’ work. Twins Mark and Michael Polish wrote and produced Northfork - a visually imaginative film that lacked the authenticity of the characters in the Duplass screenplay.
The film’s marketing would have you believe it is the cleverest indie comedy this year, but the laughs are relatively few. Duplass is reminiscent of John Krasinski, but his Kenneth is more Dwight Shrute than Jim Halpert. Without Dwight’s self-confidence and superiority complex, Kenneth is just sad, and if we’re supposed to laugh at him for our humor... I know I didn’t. There’s too much quirk and not enough personality for Kenneth to be our hero. Nevermind the fact that the secondary plot - revolving around reporter Jeff - is an entirely different film. While the film boasts that it is from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine, Safety Not Guaranteed is missing the one thing that made Little Miss Sunshine so special - the right blend of comedy, drama, regret, and adventure. Satisfaction not guaranteed.
Your Sister’s Sister
The title is not as confusing as it sounds, and the picture is every bit as good as its buzz. Lynn Shelton wrote and directed the movie, a kind of beautiful poem set off the coast of Washington. Iris (Emily Blunt) sends her best friend Jack (Mark Duplass) out to her family’s cabin, where he stumbles in on Iris’s sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt). Jack’s supposed to be sorting out his life with some alone time; having broken off a seven year relationship, Hannah was planning to do the same. A bottle of tequila later, Jack and Hannah have slept together - and Iris is at the door.
Of course Iris is in love with Jack, and complications ensue, but it’s the honesty and intimacy of the film that make it work. Life and relationships are never anything but complicated - it’s how you deal with those complications that makes it worthwhile (or not). Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt are completely believable as sisters, which is rare, and the playfulness between Blunt and Duplass is delightful. From their first on-screen conversation, Iris and Jack are fun to watch. Duplass is at least fifteen times more interesting and charming than he is in Safety Not Guaranteed, and seeing him with Emily Blunt kind of makes me wonder if that’s what her marriage with John Krasinski is like. DeWitt is fascinating to watch as we get to know Hannah, bringing a different, very grounded energy to her scenes.
Your Sister’s Sister reminds me of Nicole Holofcener’s Walking and Talking, and I mean that as a complement. It will be interesting to see where Duplass turns up next, and I would certainly like to see more from Lynn Shelton - and soon.
Safety Not Guaranteed
In Safety Not Guaranteed, Duplass plays Kenneth, whose personal ad seeking a companion for time travel becomes article fodder for a magazine reporter (Jake M. Johnson of Zooey Deschanel’s comedy New Girl), and whose scientific endeavors may or may not have attracted government attention. Darius (Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza) is the female intern who is drawn to Kenneth even as she fears what her investigation for the article might turn up.
I’m still not sure I know what I want to say about this film. I still adore the trailer, and the potential that I saw in it. In the end, the film was a disappointment. From the trailer, I had hoped that Safety Not Guaranteed would have the best element of The Science of Sleep - the creative beauty reminiscent of rocket ships out of cardboard boxes, masking tape, markers, and buttons: “I believe that there are purists out there and that’s why I put that ad in the paper.” From the title, I supposed there would be an element of risk to the love story (because what else could it be?), but found the film sorely lacking in excitement, adventure, or danger. It was missing a little Wes Anderson - not because I’m a fan of Anderson’s (I’m not), but because the dry quirkiness and sadness didn’t quite settle right. To go in another direction, perhaps the Duplass brothers could have studied the Polish brothers’ work. Twins Mark and Michael Polish wrote and produced Northfork - a visually imaginative film that lacked the authenticity of the characters in the Duplass screenplay.
The film’s marketing would have you believe it is the cleverest indie comedy this year, but the laughs are relatively few. Duplass is reminiscent of John Krasinski, but his Kenneth is more Dwight Shrute than Jim Halpert. Without Dwight’s self-confidence and superiority complex, Kenneth is just sad, and if we’re supposed to laugh at him for our humor... I know I didn’t. There’s too much quirk and not enough personality for Kenneth to be our hero. Nevermind the fact that the secondary plot - revolving around reporter Jeff - is an entirely different film. While the film boasts that it is from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine, Safety Not Guaranteed is missing the one thing that made Little Miss Sunshine so special - the right blend of comedy, drama, regret, and adventure. Satisfaction not guaranteed.
Your Sister’s Sister
The title is not as confusing as it sounds, and the picture is every bit as good as its buzz. Lynn Shelton wrote and directed the movie, a kind of beautiful poem set off the coast of Washington. Iris (Emily Blunt) sends her best friend Jack (Mark Duplass) out to her family’s cabin, where he stumbles in on Iris’s sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt). Jack’s supposed to be sorting out his life with some alone time; having broken off a seven year relationship, Hannah was planning to do the same. A bottle of tequila later, Jack and Hannah have slept together - and Iris is at the door.
Of course Iris is in love with Jack, and complications ensue, but it’s the honesty and intimacy of the film that make it work. Life and relationships are never anything but complicated - it’s how you deal with those complications that makes it worthwhile (or not). Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt are completely believable as sisters, which is rare, and the playfulness between Blunt and Duplass is delightful. From their first on-screen conversation, Iris and Jack are fun to watch. Duplass is at least fifteen times more interesting and charming than he is in Safety Not Guaranteed, and seeing him with Emily Blunt kind of makes me wonder if that’s what her marriage with John Krasinski is like. DeWitt is fascinating to watch as we get to know Hannah, bringing a different, very grounded energy to her scenes.
Your Sister’s Sister reminds me of Nicole Holofcener’s Walking and Talking, and I mean that as a complement. It will be interesting to see where Duplass turns up next, and I would certainly like to see more from Lynn Shelton - and soon.
Notes
- Your Sister's Sister is not the first time Shelton and Duplass have worked together; Shelton had a small role in Safety Not Guaranteed. She also wrote, directed, and acted in Humpday, which also starred Duplass.
- Did you catch all the TV credits for the actors in these films?
Mark Duplass: The League
Jake M. Johnson: New Girl
Aubrey Plaza: Parks and Recreation
Kristen Bell (featured in Safety Not Guaranteed): Veronica Mars, Heroes, Party Down
Rosemarie DeWitt: United States of Tara, Mad Men
- Both Safety Not Guaranteed and Your Sister's Sister are set in Washington state.
Kristen Bell (featured in Safety Not Guaranteed): Veronica Mars, Heroes, Party Down
Rosemarie DeWitt: United States of Tara, Mad Men
- Both Safety Not Guaranteed and Your Sister's Sister are set in Washington state.
*Listing this entry as Recommended for Your Sister's Sister.
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