TO BE SAVORED…
DVD, Blu-Ray & Streaming – “Bread and Butter”
Review by Ray Schillaci
Imagine, if you will, a romantic comedy minus all the romantic notions, minus all the cute or beautiful looking actors (young or old), and still delivering all the goods with a very strong resolve. Writer/director Liz Manashil in her debut feature “Bread and Butter” manages this with a definite palette in mind to tear down all the falsehoods that rom-coms conjure up. Women all over can rejoice at Ms. Manashil’s decision to deliver a film about a real woman at odds with her late blooming, her annoying parents and ill-fated relationships that should never have started.
Amelia is hedging 30, and clearly at odds with her life. Not learning how to drive, a virgin, and having not even been kissed in quite some time adds a great deal of anxiety to this young woman who is also juggling obsessive parents, and an extremely eccentric boss. Her only outlets are books and her vibrator. My God, what a way to start a story.
That’s what’s so refreshing about Manashil’s telling, it’s stripped of archetypes of the rom-com ilk. And, Manashil casts the film with a realistic eye for her actors that play these sad and funny broken characters. Rather than play them, they are them. The writer/director captures every awkward moment, and it’s far from romantic, sometimes not funny, and at other times heart breaking. But cast and crew does succeed in keeping us involved and drawing definite opinions with the introduction of each character.
After confessing her need for a boyfriend to her best friend, Amelia (Christine Weatherup) finds everyone trying to get into her business. Her boss, who passes himself off as some kind of mental health doctor when the time suits him is actually a “life coach,” who insists it would do her good to go out with a patient. Bobby Moynihan (“SNL”) underplays that sad nebbish patient, Daniel, who pines over her. And, Micah Hauptman (“Iron Man”, “Parker”, “SWAT”) as Leonard Marsh is unnervingly quirky as the guy that Amelia thinks she has a connection with.
Then there are those uncomfortable dinners with mom and dad, talking as if she did not exist, but still very concerned for her well being. They appear to just go through the motions while being caught up in their fading lives. And speaking of people too caught up, Amelia’s best girlfriend and her boyfriend claim to be there for her. But are they really listening? There don’t seem to be any minor characters in Manashil’s film, each has that real world weariness and wears it like a badge of honor; I’m human, I’m flawed, now get over it.
Although the film feels like an ensemble piece, Christine Weatherup as Amelia is practically in every shot, and carries the story quite nicely. Her Amelia is someone we grow to enjoy and root for even when we know she’s making the wrong decision. Weatherup’s awkward sweetness is never overplayed. Our heart goes out to her character, flaws and all. She may come off as naive at times, but she also surprises us with her flair for pathos and the willingness to be daring at times, providing some wonderful light moments.
Aside from Ms. Weatherup, the other star of this film is the woman of many hats (including writer/director), Ms. Manashil, who exhibits the wonderful light and quirky touch for independent filmmaking that so many of her kind strive for. The flavor she has captured is grounded and the laughs are far from forced. Accompanied by what feels like a free-flowing soundtrack that sets not only the mood of the film, but is tunefully catchy without being kitschy.
Here is a well-thought-out slice of life rarely seen with such honesty. We can afford to laugh at the absurdities before us, but there is also a hint of sadness as well. A constant reminder that Manashil wants to do more than just tell a story. Like its title, “Bread and Butter” has that delightful sustaining element that holds our attention and eventually delivers more than a satisfying end.
The word-of-mouth has been very good. This is one of the many reasons Ms. Manashil’s film acquired distribution deals so quickly. You can enjoy this fresh new take on taking control of your life one awkward step at a time on September 1st on iTunes and Amazon along with other platforms.
Directed by: Liz Manashil
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Run Time: 90 Minutes
Country: USA
Distributor: The Orchard
