In Search of a Midnight Kiss Clever dialogue and a realistic plot make "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" one of the best romantic films to emerge in years.
Director: Alex Holdridge Starring: Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire
by Garrett Conti
Romantic comedies such as "Made of Honor" and "What Happens in Vegas" have made the genre a littered trail of schlocky bombs over the past year or so. So, thank goodness for a tiny indie like "In Search of a Midnight Kiss," a picture that does manage to capture the hearts and minds of its viewers.
Made on a minuscule budget and shot in black and white, writer-director Alex Holdridge's film covers a budding relationship initiated on the Internet on New Year's Eve. Driven by clever dialogue and exquisite locales around Los Angeles, "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" is one of the best date movies to emerge in years.
Wilson (Scoot McNairy) has been in a depressed funk for most of the year. He was dumped by his girlfriend, had his laptop stolen and flipped his car on the way to Los Angeles to sell his screenplay -- which was in his now-stolen computer. When his roommate, Jacob (Brian McGuire), persuades him to put himself out there on the Web to start dating again, Wilson's luck starts to change.
A young woman named Vivian (Sara Simmonds), a wannabe actress with no shortage of baggage, answers his ad, and they meet in the afternoon hours of New Year's Eve. Together, they fight, reminisce, deal with personal issues, dine and find that eventual spark leading up to that magical kiss in the waning seconds of the year. The date ends in the new year, with Vivian leaving Wilson and the viewer in suspense as to whether he might ever see her again.
"In Search of a Midnight Kiss" is a realistic film, and the credit for that goes to Holdridge, who exquisitely captures the emerging chemistry of Vivian and Wilson. Surprisingly, the emotions here are heartfelt and relatable, something uncharacteristic of most rom-coms these days.
