PRESS PLAY
US, 2022, 85 minutes, Colour.
Clara Rugaard, Lewis Pullman, Lyrica Okano, Christina Chang, Danny Glover, Matt Walsh.
Directed by Greg Bjorkman.
Definitely one for the romantically-inclined. With a major appeal to audiences in their 20s. There are some parents and a mysteriously wise advisor played by Danny Glover, but the focus is very much on the young. And, probably safe to say, not for the non-romantically-inclined!
The central character is Laura, played by Clara Rugaard, an artist, with up-and-coming hopes. She hangs out with her friend Chloe (America Carnot) whose interest is definitely not art. Beach boys cross the street and she is immediately after them. However, she does fall in love with one of them and marries. But, she is very keen on setting up Laura with her brother, Harrison, Lewis Pullman.
Audiences who are waiting for some conflict may be set back a little when the two actually fall in love – rather quickly. And the bond between them is music, a play-list, on small cassettes from the past. Harrison works in a record store which buys back tapes for cash from people had created them in the past and no longer need them. They are displayed on a special shelf. In the meantime, Lewis has ambitions to study medicine.
Then, we are rather taken aback, as is Laura, when Harrison is killed in an accident. This is not a spoiler because the rest of the film depends on this episode.
Laura is sad, time passes by, she mourns Harrison, is not in touch with Chloe and her family as she should. But there was also the wise advisor, the old man, friend of Harrison, who talks with her, helps with the music – but also has a mysterious aura.
There have been a lot of popular movies playing with romance and time, going back into the past, parallel universes, think About time, think In Time, remember aspects of Ghost, and aspects of Groundhog Day.
Which means then that we live Laura’s strange experiences, the playlist, playing the music, going back into the past, and her encounters with Harrison, trying to save him, always in love – but, then her appearing and disappearing in the past and in the present, depending on the music.
So, it will depend on how happy you want your ending to be, love and romance all over again, or Laura to accept reality and to face her future. What would we choose!
- Romantic? For audiences in their 20s? Older adults remembering!
- The settings, American, the beaches, the shops, homes?
- Of the music, the score, the play-list, the actual songs, the connections, the moments they are played, the effect?
- Laura’s story, age, artist, friendship with Chloe, the setup for Harrison, meeting him, the record store, the discussions of music, the tapes, falling in love? The meal, his parents, the news about his medical studies and scholarship? Her reaction, the reconciliation? Her own scholarship and hopes?
- Harrison, age, the store, music, home and parents, Chloe, the encounter with Laura, falling in love, sharing the music, the surfing, his accident?
- The wise old man, the store, friend of Harrison, conversations with Laura, advice? Laura later going to meet him, his advice, giving her the tape, his regrets that she didn’t visit?
- Chloe, friend, boys, following them to the surf, falling in love, the wedding?
- The aftermath of Harrison’s death, Laura grieving, separating herself, not visiting Chloe?
- The music, playing the tapes, the fantasy atmosphere, going back into the past, the encounters with Harrison, warning him about his death, the earthquake? Going back to different times, falling in love? The past, time travel, parallel universe? The effect on Laura? Discussions with the old man?
- The opening of the film, the mysterious touch, the record, Laura disappearing, Chloe searching for her? The reprisal of the scene, its meaning, Laura having to make decisions, to go back into the past, to let Harrison go, to live in the present?
