Arriving in theaters this week, the terrific indie rom-com “You, Me & Her” deserves to win your affection. We review that film, along with the Amazon Prime series “Clean Slate” and two indie gems that have been around a bit but are well worth renting: “All Happy Families” and “Big Boys.”
Here’s our roundup.
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“You, Me & Her”: There’s nothing the matter with feeding your hunger for escapist entertainment by chilling out with a prefab mainstream rom-com. But should you find yourself hankering for something more memorable and substantial, take your sweetie or just yourself to see this dynamite indie rom-com in theaters. It’s a thoughtful, sexy and funny romantic dramedy that taps real emotions and delves into complicated love and lust matters. Working with a stellar screenplay from Selina Ringel, who also co-stars, director Dan Levy Dagerman — Ringel’s husband — initially sets itself up to be a standard spicy romp in which stuck-in-a-rut couple Mags (Ringel) and Ash (Ritesh Rajan) take a needed vacation to San Pancho, Mexico, where they meet up with go-with-the-flow yoga instructor Angela (Sydney Park). Mags and Angela feel an intense connection that Ash circles around as well, and the attraction leads the harried, often-at-odds married couple to explore their own relationship together and apart. “You, Me & Her” could have easily surrendered to base desires and been more explicit and zany, but Ringel’s screenplay and the likable three lead performances go beyond the titillating premise to create something real that has something of merit to say about a marriage in crisis which gets a new shot at life from unexpected people and places. Details: 3 stars out of 4; opens Feb. 14 at the CineLux cinemas in Campbell and Morgan Hill and the Regal Hacienda Crossing in Dublin.
“Clean Slate”: Given the tragic rash of recent trans setbacks and anti-trains rhetoric, what a comfort and joy it is to behold the late Norman Lear’s big-hearted Prime series about a trans daughter (Laverne Cox) moving back home to Alabama so can live with her dad (George Wallace), someone she hasn’t seen in decades. Lear’s variation on “Sanford & Son” plants itself firmly into its sitcom roots, but you’ll be bowled over by its spirit, optimism and tenderness. As Desiree, Cox radiates charisma, a quality that pairs perfectly with her dad Wallace, a teddy bear who fumbles with the right pronouns but has swelling love and pride for his daughter. You can just sense the hurt he feels when he sees (and hears) the ignorance and prejudice that Desiree encounters. Both learn a lot about each other in each of these half-hour-ish eight episodes. They also learn to stick up for the other, particularly when a pastor is less than welcoming to see Desiree to be a vital part of his congregation. In its own small yet important way, “Clean Slate” offers hope through a relatable story where a father and a daughter get to know and accept and understand each other better than they thought they ever could. A romantic interest (Jay Wilkison) for Desiree instills hope in our hearts that there will be a season 2 of “Clean Slate.” Details: 3 stars; available now on Amazon Prime.
“All Happy Families”: Meet the Landrys, your average dysfunctional Chicago-area family that’s descending on their family home to get it prepped to rent since deadbeat but lovable son Graham (Josh Radnor) tends to blunder about with things like that. At least that’s how his vain TV star brother Will (Rob Huebel) sees it, since he now owns that family home he wants to get in shape for incoming renter Dana (Chandra Russell). The eventual gathering brings recently retired mom Sue (Becky Ann Baker) and complaining dad Roy (John Ashton) to help out, as they kick up dust bunnies and fix pipes while long-standing family and workplace dramas surface. Director and co-screenwriter Haroula Rose’s wise and funny homecoming dramedy is entirely relatable and likable from first frame to last. It’s a real find that celebrates family but acknowledges it’s never easy for family members to be under the same roof again for an extended amount of time. This one’s been out for a bit but deserves a wider audience. Details: 3 stars; available to rent on various platforms.
“Big Boys”: Don’t allow director Corey Sherman’s award-winning indie coming-of-age comedy to get lost in the streaming universe. It’s a charming delight about one of the sweetest gay crushes a 14-year-old boy could ever have. Issac Krasner stars as Jamie, who is overly prepared for anything to happen, except when he meets his cousin’s boyfriend David (David Johnson III). His presence on a camping trip to Lake Arrowhead flusters Jamie — who has a brother who’s a jock — as he realizes he has a big crush on the bear-like David. Sherman’s low-budget charmer is up for two Independent Spirit Awards (a breakthrough nomination for Krasner and for the John Cassavetes Award) and has also received a GLAAD nomination. It’s sweet without being saccharine and gives us a lead character who doesn’t always do the right thing. Seek it out. Details: 3 stars; available to rent online.
Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.
