Review of "Close Quarters"

The iconic coffee shop is a the perfect location for a witty, indie comedy and Close Quarters takes full advantage of its setting. The film offers a trendy yet invigorating examination of the lives of the baristas and clientele at a generic coffee shop.

Close Quarters
Starring: an ensemble cast including T. J. Jagdowski,
Kate Duffy and Greg Hollomon
Directed by Jack C. Newell
My Opinion: Definitely worth it.

The majority of the cast have a history at Second City and/or SNL, and it shows. The film has a theatrical quality with improvised but intriguing and impressively deep dialogue. Each and every conversation that occurs throughout the little shop is deeply existential, allowing the film to flow from point A to B. Indeed, the real plot-movers are the adulterous couple who are locked in the bathroom while their spouses are approaching a dangerous intimacy upstairs. The characters are plentiful and richly human and the brilliance of the film is the sharp observation the viewer experiences. Though the film seems suited for the stage, it transcends theatrics with the immaculate film editing. Split-screens are used in order to evoke a conversational mode, allowing the viewer to choose who they want to watch. Rather than the simple observer, the viewer is made to feel as if he/she is a fly on the wall, casually jumping from enchanting conversation to the next. The framing is precise, allowing for the perfect view during shining moments of intoxicatingly fantastic acting.

However, two characters fall far below the standard set by their co-stars: the protagonist Abby (Erica Unger) and her clueless boyfriend Barry (Seth Unger). Erica is our eyes and ears. Her observations are our own, yet her character is far too weak to lead a film of this magnitude. As the main current running through such an artistically executed film, the performances of both Ungers stand out as weak and awkward. Furthermore, the chemistry between the two is obsolete. I recently learned that both of these actors are married to one another, so I sincerely hope that their off-screen relationship is more convincing, but nonetheless, their characters are granted their deserved, though fleeting, moments.

Close Quarters sets an impressively surreal tone with echoey sound editing and saturated color which evokes a dream-like realm beyond life outside the simple coffee shop. Though not without petty production flaws and a couple missed opportunities for impressive long takes, the film is a solid indie gem.