Now out on DVD with added features largely devoted to self-praise for this super-budget Indie film, "Charlotte Somebody" suffers from insufficient critical reviews and extravagant overpraise here on IMDb. Roger Ebert apparently has dedicated himself to championing this movie. Director/writer Eric Byler crafted a small but interesting story set in San Francisco. Essentially this movie is about four characters who explore various depths of their increasingly intertwined relationships. For a start, Lori (Eugenia Yuan) rents an apartment in the house where Michael (Michael Idemoto) grew up - he occupies the other flat. Michael is lonely but not despondent. Lori's boyfriend, Justin (Matt Westmore), is a regular hormonally-dominated sleepover. Their life together seems to consist of little but torrid and loud sex which Michael voyeuristically eavesdrops on (conveniently thin walls). But after breathless coupling Justin falls asleep and where does Lori go? To Michael's flat to cuddle with him very platonically while they watch movies on TV into the wee hours. She's oblivious to the fact that his, obvious to us, adoration of her must also be enhanced by the fresh odor of sex that trails her to the couch. Now Michael picks up Darcy/Charlotte outside a gin mill (I won't reveal why she has two names). Darcy is a smoldering mystery who believes that sex at first sight is a great way for two people to get to know each other. Nope, says Michael (who is an "mechanic who reads," we learn) - "no shortcuts." What follows is the interaction between the four as they sort out what they want from each other. Darcy is a troubling catalyst for Michael as well as for Lori and Michael. The pluses include a fresh cast acting with spontaneity, a story that explores the deepening of relationships and the surfacing of problems and - given that this movie was filmed on the very cheap - some smart and sophisticated use of shadows and light. Byler may well turn out more impressive films with greater resources in the future but Roger Ebert's almost worshipful pronouncement that he's a "born filmmaker," in a pre-screening lecture followed by a Q&A session with the audience, is premature. Lori, Darcy and Michael are Asian-Americans but this isn't really a film about being Asian and in love in San Francisco. The emotional issues and the unpredictable clashes can occur with any born-in-the-USA young adults. The "filming of..." extra features highlight some bloopers but is excessively self-congratulatory. "Charlotte Sometimes" is a good film but it isn't great. 7/10.
Review of Charlotte Sometimes
