Film Gate Reviews: See Girl Run: Movie Review

Sunday, May 5, 2013

See Girl Run: Movie Review



See girl travel back home and slowly think about changing her depression.

“See Girl Run” sees Emmie (Robin Tunney) missing her old high school boyfriend. She’s married now but decides she’s not happy and wants to revisit her life with Jason (Adam Scott). Jason still lives in their hometown, is the local star of a seafood restaurant and is in a dead-end relationship. And the whole movie is reinforcing those same concepts over and over again.   2012

Directed by: Nate Meyer

Screenplay by: Nate Meyer

Starring: Robin Tunney and Adam Scott

The theme of a woman trying to figure out what went wrong in her life is played out entirely dramatically. Don’t expect any comedy and only minimal romance. The characters were given their own quirky characteristics (Jason really likes frogs), and quirky friends. It’s possible they were supposed to provide the comedy, but the friends weren’t fleshed out, and the film really struggled connecting Jason to the main plot even though he is of course the point of Emmie’s trip home.

The film moves very slowly. Emmie doesn’t act rashly, she also doesn’t emote much emotion. She meets up with her brother when she returns home, and he’s depressed. Her parents are unhappy with each other. And did I mention that Jason and his current girlfriend aren’t happy with each other either? It’s a whole lot of depression which makes it seem like the film is moving even slower. Unhappiness doesn't connect us more to the main characters, it doesn't make us care for them more, and it certainly doesn't make things more interesting. Washing the entire film with one emotion, just grays everything into one long, monotonous journey of depression.

Shot on location in Portland, Maine, the film has a very washed-out, wet and grey look which negatively adds to the depressed feel. In case you wanted something more than the monotonous drone of unhappiness, you're out of luck. Through the grey filter of depression, Portland looks like it could be a very nice town. I doubt its residents appreciate this rain-filled mid-life crisis depiction of its picturesque New England coastal city.

Those who personally relate to Emmie’s mid-life crisis will probably actively watch her come to some sort of romantic resolution, but for the rest of us, there is nothing to connect us to Emmie or the rest of the sullen characters. The connection between Robin Tunney and Adam Scott is non-existent, so it's hard to classify this as a romantic drama. You can't even give it the quirky indie label since there's no comedy. Emmie's story just isn't universal enough to sell it on the mid-life crisis. So we're just left with a drama, a depressing drama “See Girl Run” is slow, depressing and despondent.


Similar Titles:


Young Adult (2011) - An almost brilliant look at the world of a darkly troubled young adult.

Rid of Me(2011) - A bleak character study encompassing the best and discomfort of a dark comedy.

Our Idiot Brother (2011) - Light on the comedy but so charming that "Our Idiot Brother" is likable.