1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- Really funny, original movie, 17 August 2001
Author:
Janell Lawson from Woburn, MA, USA
"Losing Hope" is a great movie, very funny, and has some of the best
writing
I've seen in an independent film. Very original brand of storytelling too,
and it gave the entire movie a very fresh, unique feel. Actors were great
all around, especially the leads. Highly reccommend.
Energetic, fun little movie, 16 August 2001
Author:
Charlie Kipmiller from Oxnard, CA
This movie was a pleasant surprise. Filled with great, well-rounded
characters, wonderful acting and a solid look, it should develop a good
following from movie fans. Film tells the story of a poor mother and her
struggle to give her young daughter a better life, but her efforts are only
quashed(albeit unintentionally)by everyone from her supremely religious
husband and his town constable brother.
Extremely well-written screenplay helps to fill the screen with off-beat
characters and develops the comedy into an almost farcical atmosphere. I'd
call this a cross between "A Fish Called Wanda" and "Raising Arizona".
Film
keeps a quick pace without ever getting frenzied. A very good
movie!
Outstanding low-budget comedy, 9 of 10 stars!, 14 August 2001
Author:
Esther Lowel from San Francisci, California, USA
I recently had the opportunity to watch `Losing Hope', after receiving a
screener copy from a friend who works for the D.Film Digital Film Festival
as a `gatekeeper'. We get together every year to watch movies together.
Because they're all low-budget indies, most royally stink. Occasionally
there are a few good ones, but rarely a great one. Well, let me tell you
that `Losing Hope' is a GREAT one!
The film begins ordinarily enough, with some kids playing on a playground.
We see one girl getting picked on because he has really big ears. The film
cuts from that to a car chase, where we meet `Hope', the mother of the
little girl. It was Hope's love for her daughter that gets the ball
rolling. From the car chase, we flash-back to the true `beginning' of the
story which we see from Hope's point of view.
As the film progresses, the movie really takes off. We see the events
which
lead to the earlier car chase not just from Hope's point-of-view but also
from Calvin's and Malvin's. The shifting POV's really made `Losing Hope'
an
exciting, original movie and it's sure to be a hit with fans of comedies.
Aside from the story, the acting, for the most part, was terrific. LG
Taylor is the most grounded character in Hope, and she's basically the
`straight man' to the assorted odd-balls around her. Her performance is
great, but overshadowed at times. My favorite character was Calvin, a
simple man who believes that God will keep everyone happy and healthy. The
actor who portrayed him, Chip Hajel, did some of the best `facial acting'
I've seen in a while. Andy Sims who played Malvin and Jamie McCoy who
portrayed his wife, Jodie, were also great and had some laugh-out-loud
lines. Supporting players were solid as well, with a few stand-outs. Most
notably, Christopher Morse as Reverend Novotny!
I think what really made `Losing Hope' stand out from the other entries is
the amazing script. The writing is intelligent and witty, and makes even
the occasional low-brow bit of humor seem smart. In a year when most
comedy
consists of fart jokes and bodily fluid, its so refreshing to see a comedy
with great characters and humor which grows out of their(pathetic)lives.
I couldn't stop laughing throughout `Losing Hope', from the early `81st
birthday' party sequence to the final scenes where all the characters get
what's coming to them. I highly recommend this film to any movie fan, but
especially those who want to see what a great movie can be made on a low
budget and on digital. Film snobs, check this out movie and you'll change
your attitude!
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Losing Hope (2001)
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-

Really funny, original movie, 17 August 2001
Author: Janell Lawson from Woburn, MA, USA
"Losing Hope" is a great movie, very funny, and has some of the best writing I've seen in an independent film. Very original brand of storytelling too, and it gave the entire movie a very fresh, unique feel. Actors were great all around, especially the leads. Highly reccommend.
Energetic, fun little movie, 16 August 2001

Author: Charlie Kipmiller from Oxnard, CA
This movie was a pleasant surprise. Filled with great, well-rounded characters, wonderful acting and a solid look, it should develop a good following from movie fans. Film tells the story of a poor mother and her struggle to give her young daughter a better life, but her efforts are only quashed(albeit unintentionally)by everyone from her supremely religious husband and his town constable brother.
Extremely well-written screenplay helps to fill the screen with off-beat characters and develops the comedy into an almost farcical atmosphere. I'd call this a cross between "A Fish Called Wanda" and "Raising Arizona". Film keeps a quick pace without ever getting frenzied. A very good movie!
Outstanding low-budget comedy, 9 of 10 stars!, 14 August 2001

Author: Esther Lowel from San Francisci, California, USA
I recently had the opportunity to watch `Losing Hope', after receiving a screener copy from a friend who works for the D.Film Digital Film Festival as a `gatekeeper'. We get together every year to watch movies together. Because they're all low-budget indies, most royally stink. Occasionally there are a few good ones, but rarely a great one. Well, let me tell you that `Losing Hope' is a GREAT one!
The film begins ordinarily enough, with some kids playing on a playground. We see one girl getting picked on because he has really big ears. The film cuts from that to a car chase, where we meet `Hope', the mother of the little girl. It was Hope's love for her daughter that gets the ball rolling. From the car chase, we flash-back to the true `beginning' of the story which we see from Hope's point of view.
As the film progresses, the movie really takes off. We see the events which lead to the earlier car chase not just from Hope's point-of-view but also from Calvin's and Malvin's. The shifting POV's really made `Losing Hope' an exciting, original movie and it's sure to be a hit with fans of comedies.
Aside from the story, the acting, for the most part, was terrific. LG Taylor is the most grounded character in Hope, and she's basically the `straight man' to the assorted odd-balls around her. Her performance is great, but overshadowed at times. My favorite character was Calvin, a simple man who believes that God will keep everyone happy and healthy. The actor who portrayed him, Chip Hajel, did some of the best `facial acting' I've seen in a while. Andy Sims who played Malvin and Jamie McCoy who portrayed his wife, Jodie, were also great and had some laugh-out-loud lines. Supporting players were solid as well, with a few stand-outs. Most notably, Christopher Morse as Reverend Novotny!
I think what really made `Losing Hope' stand out from the other entries is the amazing script. The writing is intelligent and witty, and makes even the occasional low-brow bit of humor seem smart. In a year when most comedy consists of fart jokes and bodily fluid, its so refreshing to see a comedy with great characters and humor which grows out of their(pathetic)lives.
I couldn't stop laughing throughout `Losing Hope', from the early `81st birthday' party sequence to the final scenes where all the characters get what's coming to them. I highly recommend this film to any movie fan, but especially those who want to see what a great movie can be made on a low budget and on digital. Film snobs, check this out movie and you'll change your attitude!
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