'Manhattan Romance' begins with film-maker Danny embarking on a documentary about relationships, which requires him to interview various acquaintances and strangers about their love lives. One of them is a manipulative neo-hippie tease called Theresa, who encourages him to give her topless massages while she talks about her poly-amorous life-style. Her flirting has Danny anticipating detours into her bedroom, but she keeps putting him off with vague excuses. In between these frustrating encounters, he visits his friend Carla and films her discussing her lesbian romance. When he complains to Carla about his unrequited desires for Theresa, she offers only amused eye-rolls and muted sympathy in response.
The film is Tom O'Brien's second feature as writer/producer/director/actor, and his contributions give the excellent cast plenty of space to create intriguing characters. The story takes some interesting twists and turns as Danny zigzags between his project and real life relationships. The boundary separating these two zones becomes increasingly blurred, leaving Danny unsure about his ability to connect with other people. 'Manhattan Romance' delivers sophisticated accessible entertainment, which is both playful and poignant, before the narrative unfolds to a satisfying conclusion.
The film is Tom O'Brien's second feature as writer/producer/director/actor, and his contributions give the excellent cast plenty of space to create intriguing characters. The story takes some interesting twists and turns as Danny zigzags between his project and real life relationships. The boundary separating these two zones becomes increasingly blurred, leaving Danny unsure about his ability to connect with other people. 'Manhattan Romance' delivers sophisticated accessible entertainment, which is both playful and poignant, before the narrative unfolds to a satisfying conclusion.