Above: Daryl and Zoe in a scene from 'Breaking Upwards'
Sunday, February 28, 2010
NY TIMES
Keep your eyes open for the 'Breaking Upwards' article and review in the Arts and Leisure section of the New York Times.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
HIGH TIMES - BREAKING UPWARDS REVIEW
Movie Review: Breaking Upwards
by Max Abrams
Friday, Feb 05, 2010
Breaking up is never pretty. Even when both sides agree it's time to let it go, all the ugly feelings and jealousies start to come out no matter what we do. Movies tend to use a breakup as the beginning or end of a film, either creating a problem or ending a story. But what if the entire movie is about the process of breaking up and breaking apart?
Breaking Upwards is the brain child of real life couple and co-stars Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister Jones. The film begins years into their relationship. Although they are comfortable, they grow bored of the mundane life their relationship brings. Instead of breaking up, they decide to take "days off" to slowly get used to life without their long term partner. What follows is one of the most sophisticated and nuanced examinations of relationships of the past 10 years.
The characters are fighting against the all too human feeling of jealousy. As the two lovers attempt to date other people, all the painful and ugly emotions start to come out. When they are together, they feel bored and uninspired, but when they attempt the fast life of casual relationships, they yearn for each-other more than ever. However they don't come off as immature, but rather as flawed as any human.
Instead of fulfilling the viewer's desire ("I hope she ends up with ___"), this romantic film seeks only to reveal the humanity of the characters. The film is full of the little things that make a relationship important, like the stress put on their facebook relationship status (it's not true until it's on facebook). It's these little things, both intimate and obsessive, that give the characters and story the depth sorely lacking in most other romantic films. There is no expected outcome to the story, as the narrative weaves the viewer through the complexities of basic human interaction. The viewer never knows where they're going, but the film is never confusing or unfocused.
The film keeps the viewer entertained with the backdrop of beautiful New York and a cast of neurotic characters that tend to complicate more than alleviate. The mothers (Julie White and Andrea Martin) are especially brilliant and hilarious, providing a different take on the situation than the lovers intwined in it.
While Breaking Upwards can have the feeling of some other indie-hipster breakout hits (see: Garden State), the superb script and realistic acting give it a depth rarely seen in those films. The problems of this couple can be applied to any relationship and the issues they discuss are close to any young person's heart. Maybe it takes a real life couple to create a more realistic, insightful portrayal of love.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
'Breaking Upwards' Premiere Dates
All day
SEATTLE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
March 15-16, 2010
PITTSBURG JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
MARCH 28, 2010
CONNECTICUT PREMIERE
April 2, 2010
NEW YORK OPENNING
April 8, 2010
LA PREMIERE
April 9, 2010
LA OPENING
April 16, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO OPENING
April 23, 2010
BOSTON OPENING
April 30, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS OPENING
DETAILED SYNOPSIS OF FILM
BREAKING UPWARDS
'Breaking Upwards' follows a young New York couple who, after four years together, have grown stifled. Desperate to escape their ennui, but fearful of life apart, they decide to intricately strategize their own break up. Daryl and Zoe create a maze of rules and boundaries, hoping they can avoid the pain of separation by slowly weaning themselves off of each other. Setting days on which they can speak and days on which they can't, the two twenty-something’s are forced to confront their already embedded fears of self-government. Their experiment becomes an exploration of independence within the confines of a relationship--monogamous or polyamorous.
Driven by a quest for answers, both native New Yorkers turn to their parents for all things related. Zoe, a child of divorce, investigates her parents’ failed partnership to gain insight into her own, while Daryl moves back in to an intact, but flawed childhood home. Zoe's mother Helaine (Andrea Martin), a single pot-smoking Brooklyn sculptor, promotes feminist self-empowerment. Daryl's mother Joanie (Julie White), a Southern Belle turned Jewish ball breaker, sees marriage as the only option for happiness. Daryl's father Alan (Peter Friedman), an introverted Upper West Side dentist, quietly watches the dissolution of Joanie and Daryl's once tight relationship. Each respective parent projects their perceptions of commitment and its subsequent failures or successes onto both Daryl and Zoe, ultimately leading to a tangled web of compromise, confusion, and betrayal.
Once the experiment allows for other lovers, our two protagonists are thrown into tumult as they forge new understandings of intimacy, be it lovely or humiliating. While Daryl finds temptation (Olivia Thirlby) at a synagogue meet-and-greet, Zoe's co-star in an Off-Broadway play (Pablo Schreiber) deceptively woos her solely to deepen his performance as an actor. The gender divide is revealed, and questions ensue: what does it mean to be a single woman in New York, and what does it mean to be a single man?
While Joanie at first suggests marriage, her brewing anxiety about Daryl's lack of a career propels her to ultimately interrogate his commitment to a faltering romance. However, her concern turns vicious when Daryl passes up a job opportunity in Vancouver to stay with Zoe. The drama finally erupts at the Wein's annual Passover Seder.
'Breaking Upwards' explores a world in which young people are hyper-articulate, while professionally sidetracked; foul-mouthed while emotionally vulnerable; intellectually curious while self-aggrandizing. This is a world in which parents ask the same questions as children, and children force parents to explore notions of loneliness much later in life. It is a world where all people need the same thing and don’t quite know how to find it.
The film blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction by casting real life couple (and filmmakers) Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones as themselves. An uncensored look at young love, lust, and the pangs of codependency, 'Breaking Upwards' follows its characters as they navigate each others' emotions across the city they love. It begs the question: is it ever possible to grow apart together?
HONORS & AWARDS
“Breaking Upwards” was an official selection in the Narrative Competition at the 2009 SXSW Film Festival.
Little Rock Film Festival, Arkansas
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER
Brooklyn International Film Festival
GRAND JURY PRIZE AND BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE WINNER
Detroit Windsor International Film Festival
BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD WINNER
Royal Flush Festival
BEST SCREENPLAY
Big Apple Film Festival
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
BEST FEATURE SHOT IN NEW YORK
BEST ACTRESS
BREAKING UPWARDS REVIEW
SXSW Review: Breaking Upwards
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea Martin offer stark and stellar contrasts as mothers who get mixed up as the dating experiment goes south.
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded oniTunes immediately. If the reception at SXSW is any indication,Breaking Upwards is destined to be a winner on the festival circuit and beyond.
GRADE: A
SXSW Review: Breaking Upwards
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea Martin offer stark and stellar contrasts as mothers who get mixed up as the dating experiment goes south.
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded oniTunes immediately. If the reception at SXSW is any indication,Breaking Upwards is destined to be a winner on the festival circuit and beyond.
GRADE: A
SXSW Review: Breaking Upwards
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea Martin offer stark and stellar contrasts as mothers who get mixed up as the dating experiment goes south.
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded oniTunes immediately. If the reception at SXSW is any indication,Breaking Upwards is destined to be a winner on the festival circuit and beyond.
GRADE: A
SXSW Review: Breaking Upwards
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea Martin offer stark and stellar contrasts as mothers who get mixed up as the dating experiment goes south.
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded oniTunes immediately. If the reception at SXSW is any indication,Breaking Upwards is destined to be a winner on the festival circuit and beyond.
GRADE: A
SXSW Review: Breaking Upwards
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea Martin offer stark and stellar contrasts as mothers who get mixed up as the dating experiment goes south.
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded oniTunes immediately. If the reception at SXSW is any indication,Breaking Upwards is destined to be a winner on the festival circuit and beyond.
GRADE: A
SXSW Review: Breaking Upwards
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea Martin offer stark and stellar contrasts as mothers who get mixed up as the dating experiment goes south.
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded oniTunes immediately. If the reception at SXSW is any indication,Breaking Upwards is destined to be a winner on the festival circuit and beyond.
GRADE: A
Posted by Adam Sweeney on March 15, 2009
Breaking up is hard to do, as Daryl Wein finds a new way of teaching us in his breakout film, Breaking Upwards. Yes, we love words that start with break.
If there is a certain genre that stands out for the misrepresentation of the subject it is attempting to shed light on, it has to be the romantic film. Somewhere along the way, film distributors thought it would be best to offer two forms of relationship narratives. The heartwarming tale, often starring a plastic princess, that gives us the fairy tale, or the tragic woe is me piece of fabric that makes us feel grateful for the situation we are in. Breaking Upwards does neither of these, choosing instead to display the chaos that ensues when we try to frame our emotions. The result is a story that handily examines the insecurities and imperfections that exist in a couple that has grown tired of each other, but insist on breaking up on their own terms. Breaking Upwardsis a voice for the complex relationships so many twenty-something people are going through.
What do you do when the euphoria of love has faded? The film offers an answer as Daryl (Daryl Wein) and Zoe (Zoe Lister-Jones) have grown bored of their relationship. Instead of quitting each other cold turkey, they decide to take “off days” in an attempt to make the transition a bit smoother. It’s a great idea in theory. In reality, it is a train wreck, and we are on board to watch them crash. The experiment, which Wein and Lister Jones actually attempted in their relationship in real life, plays
As the two characters journey down the relationship road, they learn that separation and co-dependency can turn even good people into ugly and jealous versions of themselves. There seems to be no middle ground for the couple, unless you consider the beginning of the film as the middle, which they find unsatisfying. The closer they are, the farther apart they become. When they cater to the alleged glamor of casual relationships, they’re left longing for each other. Their actions contradict their emotions, which is understandable. They’re human.
Wein’s script and direction highlights the beauty of New York City and includes elements of Jewish culture, a welcome addition of a religious denomination that is often marginalized. The city becomes an extension of Daryl and Zoe’s relationship, which we are made aware of as the two divide the town between them. The division extends to the internet, with discussions of where the two stand on their Facebook relationship status. If you know anything about social networking, you know nothing is official until it’s on Facebook.
The complexity of the situation is balanced well, thanks to the superb acting. Wein and Lister Jones complement each other perfectly as they push and pull at each other throughout the film, trying to fill the void left in the wake of each other’s absence. Their delivery of dialogue is natural and endears us to both characters. What stands out is how real both central characters feel. The discussions in the film are memorable and natural, whether it’s making fun of guys wearing girl pants or asking why untalented models get acting roles that unique and talented performers deserve. Granted, these issues may be closer to you if you’re a hipster or performer. Those types are isolated. The theme of love is not. It is universal and Breaking Upwards understands how to reach the audience in a unique way.
Julia White and Andrea
Breaking Upwards brings to mind the works of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Zach Braff’s Garden State. Luckily, Breaking never comes off as self-serving, and Wein chooses to document both sides of the argument, resulting in a story that will touch more people. Whether it will find the success that the aforementioned films achieved isn’t so important as the fact that Wein, Lister Jones and the cast deserve similar accolades. Wein and Lister Jones poured their hearts into the film in every aspect of the production. Wein and Lister Jones both worked on the screenplay with Peter Duchan, and Lister Jones provided lyrics for almost all of the soundtrack, which should be downloaded on
GRADE: A
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SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE ON ITUNES
ALL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE ON ITUNES
Composed by Kyle Forester • Lyrics by Zoe Lister-Jones
1. Nous Sommes Le Nous
2. We Are the Boys
3. Daryl Walks (Interlude)
4. Fan of Shades
5. Helaine Shops (Interlude)
6. She Goes She Goes
7. Meet Sam (Interlude)
8. Baby Please
9. Walking the Bikes (Interlude)
10. Little One
11. Joanie Snoops (Interlude)
12. Boys Like You
13. Once Upon a Time
14. Women Loves
15. We've Got Roads
16. Next Year in Jerusalem
CAST
Starring: Daryl Wein (“The Hebrew Hammer”) & Zoe Lister-Jones (Upcoming films include: “Salt,” with Angelina Jolie, “All Good Things”, with Ryan Gosling “The Other Guys” with Will Ferrell).
Written by Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones and Peter Duchan
CAST
Zoe - Zoe Lister-Jones
Daryl - Daryl Wein
Joanie - Julie White
Alan - Peter Friedman
Helaine - Andrea Martin
Turner - Pablo Schreiber
Maggie - La Chanze
Erika - Olivia Thirlby
Dylan - Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Hannah - Heather Burns
Lindsay - Francis Benhamou
Sam - Sam Rosen
Toby - Toby Burns
Brian - Tate Ellington
Frosh - Max Jenkins
Tolan - Alexander Gil
Director - Will Frears
Aunt Barbara - Maggie Burke
Hot Bartender - David Call
Hot Bartender - Harmon Walsh
Casting Director - Roger Del Pozo
Stage Manager - Bryce Mcdonald
Asst. Manager - Jenn McNeil
Dancing Model - Marlouse Borm
Theater Model - Shelly Zander
Yoga teacher - Becca Kannapell
Funny Yoga Guy - Aaron Burns
Yoga Girl - Ashley Lambert
Waitress - Audrey Wauchope
Man at Synagogue - Ray Iannicelli
Boy at Party - Rodrigo Lopresti
Puppy - Tuna