AlmostinLove

Tour-de-force technique is applied to twisty romantic comedy in this elegant dissection of messy emotions. The film is divided into two 40-minute scenes, each filmed in a single, unbroken take, the first set on a Staten Island terrace, the second at a Hamptons beach house. The story follows the erratic love life of thirty-something Sasha (indie treasure Karpovsky), his lingering feelings for his ex Mia (Neshat), his rivalry with his best friend Kyle (Gary Wilmes), and a wedding that (going against the rom-com grain) leaves much unresolved. The fluid camerawork is in tune with the slippery emotional terrain and is matched by the virtuoso focus-shifting sound design. Alan Cumming and Adam Rapp head a solid supporting cast.