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Charlotte Sometimes (2003)
Visionbox Pictures, 1 hr. 25 mins.
Starring:
Jacqueline Kim, Michael Idemoto, Eugenia Yuan, Matt Westmore
Directed by:
Eric Byler |
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Writer-director Eric Byler has put
together a quaint provocative gem that packs an emotional wallop. In the
intriguing character study drama Charlotte Sometimes, Byler meticulously
explores the dynamic intimacies of four intertwining relationships while
serving up a first rate narrative. Fittingly probing, sensual, mysterious
and raw, Charlotte Sometimes exudes passion and surprisingly is subtle in
its approach at carnal deception and despair. As a filmmaker, Byler
cleverly examines the isolation of his protagonists by placing them in an
atmosphere of routine convenience where their psyches can be explored from
an everyday perspective. Consequently, Byler’s exposition is vastly taut,
revealing, and firmly perceptive. From the catchy and moody soundtrack to
the flowingly crisp intuitive direction, Charlotte Sometimes radiates with
invigorating absorption and clearly is one of the best films of the year.
Byler, a biracial individual with Chinese bloodlines, taps into a cultural
pulse by having his main quartet of Asian performers balance this smart
and amorous observational piece on their resilient shoulders. It’s quite
refreshing to see people of color undergo the genuine complexities of
human frailties while providing solid characterizations in what amounts to
be a resourceful albeit low key psychosexual display. There are no
stereotypical profiles nor are there any cliched caricatures to endure in
Byler’s moviemaking mode. Thankfully, the characters are absorbing in
their flawed skin and help bring about the feeling of tranquility and
tension that propels this stimulating fable. Byler makes good use of his
lighting and impromptu camera angles to highlight his compelling images
and instill a sense of attitude, ambivalence, and vulnerability in his
players’ fragile mindset.
Meet Michael (Michael Idemoto), a Los Angeles-based auto mechanic who
toils away at the family-owned garage. Michael is quite reserved and set
in his daily ways. When not trying to repair a greasy engine during the
day, his leisurely pleasures consist of quiet evenings where he has his
face in an interesting book or he may feel like frequenting the local
nightclub for his adequate dosage of socializing. We can tell right off
the bat that Michael is a decent guy. Heck, he even manages to make time
for his Aunt Margie by occasionally dining with her. One cannot help but
notice how alone Michael is but in his own words he would tell you that he
prefers it this way. Now whether you believe him or not is entirely
another story altogether.
Michael does get some company every once in a while from his petite and
attractive female friend/tenant Lori (Eugenia Yuan) who lives next door.
It’s plain to see that Michael desires Lori very much and had first
befriended her at the same club he methodically attends a handful of years
ago. Since then Lori has routinely slipped into Michael’s life and fancies
herself his best buddy. Of course Michael would like to shake that “let’s
just be great pals” mantra and seriously seek something romantic with the
desirable Lori. Well, forget that notion because Lori already has a
live-in boyfriend named Justin (Matt Westmore). Lori is certainly into her
boytoy Justin and Michael realizes this fact and simply accepts it no
matter how frustrating it feels to him.
Poor Michael is surrounded by awkward and pent up emotional baggage. He
just cannot escape the situation of having his affection for Lori go
unnoticed while she serves Justin the fleshy fantasy Michael wishes he
could partake in with her. Whenever Michael is home and forced to cuddle
up to a good book, he cannot drown out the boisterous lovemaking session
that his beloved Lori and the lucky Justin engage in through those
seemingly paper thin walls that separate their living quarters.
It’s pure anguish and quite insulting to see (or in this case hear) this
couple burning up the bed sheets so passionately while Michael sits there
listening to Lori groan and moan so approvingly. All this guy can do is be
an unwilling observer to this fornicating festival that disrupts his true
connection for Lori. And to top it all off, Lori cools down her erotic
jets with Justin by seeking some in-front-of-the-television snuggle time
with Michael like he’s some favorite uncle that’s innocently there to
watch cartoons with her. It’s interesting how Lori uses her bodily charms
to satisfy her two favorite men. With Justin, she can control him sexually
and release her inhibitions on him without a moment’s notice. But with
Michael, she can tease him innocuously with her curvy frame but still
capture his attention through the platonic companionship to balance out
her hot and heavy copulating sessions with Justin. Michael is such a
non-threat in regards to Lori that Justin doesn’t even mind having his
galpal use Michael’s place as a consoling pit stop to lay low and loose
until she can refuel again and look for the sexual fireworks from him.
To dodge yet another evening where he has to eavesdrop on Lori and Justin
doing the nasty for the umpteenth time, Michael decides to head over to
the club where he spots a mysterious pretty woman who would later return a
glance at him and eventually hook up with him. Later, she introduces
herself as Darcy (Jacqueline Kim) and skillfully cozies up to Michael.
They soon walk together in the busy dark streets and Michael gets up the
nerve to invite the slightly acerbic and curious cutie pie Darcy back to
his place where they share sketchy tidbits about themselves through drink
and surface chit chatter. Darcy cuts to the chase and tests her new
soft-spoken mate by throwing herself at him courtesy of a daring instant
pass. Michael doesn’t bite the bait and insists that he doesn’t like
“short cuts”; he wants to get to know Darcy thoroughly first. But the
tempting brunette warns Michael that she doesn’t have much time to hang
around and may be off once again. Regarding another late evening visit to
house the couple seem to appear more at ease about what their expectations
are with one another. Naturally, as Michael and Darcy continue to bond in
the pitch black backyard their vibe is interrupted with the distracting
screeching of Lori and Justin’s nightly sexual ritual.
It would be a matter of time before the foursome diligently seized the
opportunity to pal around together. There’s Michael who’s the quiet and
conscientious one; Darcy the brooding and indecisive beauty with the
taunting aura about her; Lori the sexpot with the spontaneity; and Justin
the indifferent cad who goes with the flow. Whether the crew crashes a
neighborhood restaurant, playfully convene on the tennis courts or soak up
the sun at a backyard cookout it is quite captivating to see this unit go
through the motions while second guessing what their real intentions are
toward each other. It’s a psychological chess game where this clique has
to determine what moves to make in order to benefit their elusive
motivation. Soon, everything begins to unfold and the audience begins to
piece together a penetrating puzzle that Byler has manipulated into a
challenging game of self-discovery. As the twists are revealed in terms of
who is really who in this complicated yet fun web of tangled relationships
we applaud the unexpected turn of Byler’s carefully crafted storyline.
Charlotte Sometimes is dutifully hypnotic and honest in its revelations.
It’s obvious to see why this hailed project was nominated for two 2003
Independent Spirit Awards. Byler’s exceptional picture doesn’t cater to
the flashiness of mainstream flicks that bombard the audience with
overstated tactics as a means of pulling in the forced psychological
suspense. On the contrary, Charlotte Sometimes is unassuming and doesn’t
need to needlessly ruffle feathers so ruthlessly. Byler’s insightful
feedback is profoundly evident and the shrewd gesture he incorporates in
the film definitely sings volumes of creativity. The sparse dialogue
accompanied by uncanny facial expressions, dark/light shadows to suggest
angst or anxiety and hearty physical/sexual confrontations to extinguish
the undefined numbness all contributes to this cohesive offering. This
effectively works on the mind and the soul of both his on-screen creations
and that of the movie-going audience there to witness the calculating
emptiness.
No doubt that Eric Byler represents a welcomed new breed of filmmakers
that usher in a unique perspective to appreciate movies that are properly
perceived and constructed with personality, persistence and vitality. This
is not just a major plus for the rise of Asian American moviemakers in
contemporary cinema but a noted push for moviegoers of all dimensions to
embrace the universal influence of a talented storyteller’s touch. |
