Dallas Film Festival 2015 Review: This isn’t Funny by Alex Moore

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In the interest of bringing a wide array of genres to the 2015 Dallas International Film Fest(DIFF), allow me to present to you an offering in the ever-popular Romantic-Comedy genre: “This Isn’t Funny.” Ironic? Perhaps, but, then, why else would a filmmaker decide to give his or her movie this title?

Director/Writer/(star)Actor Paul Ashton(“Dream Girl”) and Co-Writer/Co-Star Katie Page(“Don’t Try This at Home”) were seemingly inspired by the recent trend of movie-making styles from films such as last year’s “Begin Again” and it is easy to see why. When a movie has a simple story and a limited budget to work with, the filmmakers are required to be more inventive with the technical aspects of moviemaking that we often take for granted. These films do not blow us away with expensive soundware or impressive computer effects, but grab us with clever sound mixing/design and useful cinematography.

Throughout this story, I found myself continually thinking, “I like the comedy, but I am not sure of the romance.” I wondered if the romance seemed too easy, much like the comedy of the film. Is it ironic that by the end of the movie I realized there was nothing easy about either of those things? A filmmaker would typically say that whatever YOU took away from the movie is respectable. In other words, like art itself, the experience is purely subjective.

As I recall the film after several days of processing what I saw, it has come to my attention that the romantic story as a whole was nothing new, but contained specific details which I found memorable. I would challenge anyone to tell me a romantic story that has NOT been told before. I enjoyed the elements of foreshadowing throughout. Assuming that the viewer is really paying attention, there are some good payoffs from that.

Some of the stylistic decisions for the comedic aspects were a good idea, in theory, but did not necessarily translate well to this film. If you have ever seen some of the earlier episodes of “Seinfeld,” you will notice that Jerry’s standup material in his routines are showcased throughout the story, as it pertains to what is happening IN the story. In the absence of the primary characters, one BEING a standup comic by trade, some funny, Seinfeld-like cut-ins pop up, but do not make much sense from the standpoint of the main characters. What are the odds that another comedian would be talking about a funny story that has direct relation to what the main characters are currently going through in another part of the world? Sure, it is possible, but what other purpose do these little diatribes serve, aside from some ill-fated, obligatory attempt at comic relief in an otherwise very serious section of the story? “Hey, audience, this movie IS a comedy and here is why!” That is not a direct quote from the movie, by the way.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the funny moments of the movie, which are fairly ample. While the romantic side of the film is honest and realistic, I could not quite relate to the characters in THAT aspect. It was not because I was not invested in them. There were specific characteristics from the primary AND secondary characters that WERE very relatable. If those details are what make a romantic story relatable, then I have probably contradicted myself. It wouldn’t be the first time it has happened. I am sure Ashton and Page would agree that not all stories are for everybody. This would be more of a fundamental flaw than anything else.

If you enjoy comedy, as almost everyone does, you will get some good laughs from this project, but unless you have experienced a love story eerily similar to the one in the film, you might find the romance itself mostly forgettable, aside from a few steamy moments in the story. At the end of the day, the movie did what I believe it set out to do. It’s a romantic comedy, with a fair amount of drama.

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