Right off the bat I have to say I wasn’t sure I was going to like Jack, Jules, Esther & Me. I watched the trailer and it looked good but as soon as the film started I wasn’t sure of it. To anyone else who has this feeling – wait, give it time, it’s a slow burner that reaps all the rewards for those who have patience.
This is a coming-of-age story in the same sort of vein as Superbad without all the over the top-ness. Daniel Poliner (written and directed by) does a good job channeling the real-life anxieties of the teenage world – of having to grow up, and everything else that it might entail. We see how each teenager has it so vastly different from one other, as each one deals with their own troubles. The films shows how differences in social class can put them so far apart from each other but all be unified by life’s universal problems.
It’s the last weekend home in New York City before Luis (Alexander Flores) goes away to College and he’s spending it with his best friend, resident douchebag Jack (Aaron Sauter). Luis has a plan though, he’s going to spend his last weekend finally telling the girl of his dreams, Jules (Jessica Rothenberg), just how he feels about her. His plan of a giant party goes a little south and Luis has to improvised by inviting along Esther (Alice Lee), a girl he barely knows so he can make it seem like a double date. Over the two day period the group gets along, falls out, share secrets and grow closer than ever before they go even further apart.
This is indie filmmaking at its absolute best. It’s a small film with a big story to tell about the fears of growing up, relationships, friendships and moving on. This film is relatable to anyone who has ever gone off to College/University. You don’t know where your life will be heading, what sort of person you’re going to come back as – if you’ll even change at all, if you’ll stay in touch with your closest friends or if you’ll lose them forever in the huge crowds of life. Jack, Jules, Esther & Me tries to stay true to real life and that’s evident in the dialogue and how it was shot. It attempts to strike a fine line between the dramatic parts of the film and keeping it light-hearted – although a bit more comedy would be welcomed in this sort of story, as teenagers tend to be a recipe for disaster, but it was a nice attempt none the less.
The film plays off well thanks to its fine cast who feel as real as the film does sometimes. The only ‘stock’ character is Jack – who plays the traditional ass of a best friend who doesn’t care about anyone but himself, but even that element isn’t overbearing as Poliner manages work it so that he actually remains true to real life.
The film isn’t too overboard in its story and you don’t think these characters are all going to be okay once the weekend is finished, you know it’ll be a struggle still from then on – such is life, but it’s a lovely, warm, small indie film that continues to show just how successful the Indie film market is and why the world needs more flicks like Jack, Jules, Esther & Me.
Rating: A sweet tale of the modern teenage world (6/10).
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