This was the third film I've seen written & directed by Eric Schaeffer. If you liked this film, please check out his movie "Fall". It could be classified as a romance, but not the kind that would ever cast Jennifer Aniston or Meg Ryan. "Fall" is painful and passionate and clever, and unlike any movie I've seen since. It absolutely crushes you. I have also never witnessed such intense chemistry between two actors. It absolutely crushes you. Eric Schaeffer plays the lead role himself. So far, he always stars in his own movies. In his movie "If Lucy Fell", he plays opposite Sara Jessica Parker. I'd recommend seeing this after "Fall" or "Mind the Gap" so you get a feel for Schaeffer's style first. "If Lucy Fell" is much more light-hearted than his other movies; but very witty, fun, and strange. Ben Stiller plays a hilarious role as a stereotypical artist who lives life in the abstract. I love Eric Schaeffer! I only hope he continues to bless us with his work.
29 Reviews
like Raymond Carver, except ending on a good note (and a good end for Alan King)
lee_eisenberg30 July 2006
Some people may think that the fact that "Mind the Gap" was Alan King's last movie would be a simple incentive to see it. It turns out that the movie has a lot more in store. Portraying several oddballs on the verge of seeing change in their lives, it's sort of a more interesting version of Raymond Carver's stories (in "Short Cuts", they were alienated and stayed such). Some scenes are likely to tense you up, but that just goes to show that the movie is doing a really good job.
So, this was definitely a good end for Alan King. The only other cast member whom I recognized was John Heard, but the unknown cast doesn't diminish the movie's quality; on the contrary, it gives the movie a more realistic feeling. Definitely worth seeing.
So, this was definitely a good end for Alan King. The only other cast member whom I recognized was John Heard, but the unknown cast doesn't diminish the movie's quality; on the contrary, it gives the movie a more realistic feeling. Definitely worth seeing.
Decent acting, intriguing stories...
tnek4612 December 2005
Though some of the acting in this film isn't incredible, it's certainly competent. I think Eric Schaeffer is a very talented actor and director, he did a great job with this film. The five stories that are told are intriguing and the transitions between them are smooth.
I'd recommend this movie if you are looking for an interesting collage of characters and plots rounded up by a blissfully happy ending. It's nice to see a movie with a complex plot and fascinating characters. It will leave you delighted with humanity and wondering what happened to each character.
I, for one, really enjoyed this movie. I saw it on a satellite movie channel and am very tempted to go and rent it... possibly even buy it when I can get my hands on it.
I'd recommend this movie if you are looking for an interesting collage of characters and plots rounded up by a blissfully happy ending. It's nice to see a movie with a complex plot and fascinating characters. It will leave you delighted with humanity and wondering what happened to each character.
I, for one, really enjoyed this movie. I saw it on a satellite movie channel and am very tempted to go and rent it... possibly even buy it when I can get my hands on it.
An Uplifting Look at the Choices Even Quirky People Can Make
noralee5 October 2004
'Mind the Gap' is an enchanting spiritual quest by eccentric characters who by converging from the sylvan north, south, west and east to the gritty sidewalks of the island of Manhattan, face death, their own or a loved one's, in different ways and find salvation in accepting that no person is an island.
While each is as damaged from relationships as the motley crew in 'Italian for Beginners,' this is far more than a romantic quest as these oddballs, who we on a rotating basis very gradually learn how they got so damaged, cannot have real relationships, including between parents and children, until they solve their spiritual malaise to make a positive choice. Their physical health and sensual perceptions are also linked to their emotional and spiritual well-being.
While the film is very long as it leisurely follows these characters' twisted trajectories, the mostly strong acting (particularly by Alan King in what I presume was his last film role) and the intriguing situations and lively conversations keep us curious, though the precocious kids interact with the adults like Gilmore Girls.
Like 'Magnolia,' we gradually find that some of the characters are linked in disturbing ways, others by coincidence (asymptotically cute) of need, time and place, but unpredictably. As brutally frank about the weaknesses, cruelties and foibles of human nature as the former film, writer/director/producer/co-star Eric Schaeffer is less cynical and more hopeful than Paul Thomas Anderson, without resorting to incredible magic realism to restore faith.
While these characters literally face the notorious undertow of the waters of Spuyten Duyvil (spiting the devil, per Dutch folklore about the treacherous waters off the mainland) --and their uniform hatred of the NY Yankees-- to enter Manhattan, I didn't catch all the theological interpretations about the sins of the fathers to discern any particular philosophical consistency about forgiveness, including the Krishna Das tracks on the soundtrack. I do question the meaningfulness of a child granting forgiveness to an adult, but I think it's about the adults growing-up.
Co-star singer/songwriter Jill Sobule's "Bitter" (available both on her CD 'Happy Town' and the compilation 'I Never Learned to Swim: Jill Sobule 1990-2000') serves as the satisfying culmination; five other of her songs, not specifically written for the film, are also featured as commentary, as she plays an isolated busker with a literal broken heart.
Some recurring images I didn't quite get yet, particularly of a dancer in Times Square, perhaps going around and around at the crossroads of the world.
One of the most hopeful and uplifting movies I've seen in a long time, it will bring a smile to "mind the gap" every time I get on and off the subway -- the gap between reach and grasp, between nirvana and humanity.
While each is as damaged from relationships as the motley crew in 'Italian for Beginners,' this is far more than a romantic quest as these oddballs, who we on a rotating basis very gradually learn how they got so damaged, cannot have real relationships, including between parents and children, until they solve their spiritual malaise to make a positive choice. Their physical health and sensual perceptions are also linked to their emotional and spiritual well-being.
While the film is very long as it leisurely follows these characters' twisted trajectories, the mostly strong acting (particularly by Alan King in what I presume was his last film role) and the intriguing situations and lively conversations keep us curious, though the precocious kids interact with the adults like Gilmore Girls.
Like 'Magnolia,' we gradually find that some of the characters are linked in disturbing ways, others by coincidence (asymptotically cute) of need, time and place, but unpredictably. As brutally frank about the weaknesses, cruelties and foibles of human nature as the former film, writer/director/producer/co-star Eric Schaeffer is less cynical and more hopeful than Paul Thomas Anderson, without resorting to incredible magic realism to restore faith.
While these characters literally face the notorious undertow of the waters of Spuyten Duyvil (spiting the devil, per Dutch folklore about the treacherous waters off the mainland) --and their uniform hatred of the NY Yankees-- to enter Manhattan, I didn't catch all the theological interpretations about the sins of the fathers to discern any particular philosophical consistency about forgiveness, including the Krishna Das tracks on the soundtrack. I do question the meaningfulness of a child granting forgiveness to an adult, but I think it's about the adults growing-up.
Co-star singer/songwriter Jill Sobule's "Bitter" (available both on her CD 'Happy Town' and the compilation 'I Never Learned to Swim: Jill Sobule 1990-2000') serves as the satisfying culmination; five other of her songs, not specifically written for the film, are also featured as commentary, as she plays an isolated busker with a literal broken heart.
Some recurring images I didn't quite get yet, particularly of a dancer in Times Square, perhaps going around and around at the crossroads of the world.
One of the most hopeful and uplifting movies I've seen in a long time, it will bring a smile to "mind the gap" every time I get on and off the subway -- the gap between reach and grasp, between nirvana and humanity.
Well-acted, slow-moving story with big payoff.
lostatlimbo29 July 2005
I was tempted to give up on this movie very early on. It seemed odd, sluggish and pretentious in that 'Touched by an Angel' sort of way.
And it was. The movie tries very hard to be heart-warming and self-important to the point that I imagine turns off many viewers.
But they are missing out on a true gem. Despite its over-earnest nature, the movie succeeds in being a feel-good movie thanks to a well-written story and some superb acting by a group of relative unknowns.
The film touches on 5 very different people's lives and how they keep their heads up despite some very sad fortunes. The film teases at first, giving us almost no information about these characters and expecting us to care about them as they plod along. But patience is certainly a rewarded virtue here as the BIGGER PICTURE is slowly revealed and the intricacies of these character's lives come together in a way I would have never imagined.
The fantastic acting done by the whole cast helps to move the story along whenever it appears to be stalling. Each actor manages to etch out deep, hidden emotions and secrets from their characters that are not fully-realized until the very end of the film. If nothing else, this movie is a great study of "effect and cause", rather than "cause and effect". You are privileged to see how each character has been changed by events in their life long before you find out what those events were and how profoundly they impacted their recipients.
In some vague ways, this movie reminds me of the 1984 film 'Paris, Texas' starring Nastassja Kinski and Harry Dean Stanton. A sparse, slow-moving film about a man deeply affected by an event we don't know until the last 15 minutes.
Looking at it's IMDb page, another user gives 'Paris, Texas' the "Life-Changing Movie" stamp of approval that others have given 'Mind the Gap', and I agree. If you have the patience and can stomach the incessant mushiness, 'Mind the Gap' is the type of film that makes you step back and look at the world (and your life) with fresh eyes. There is nothing in this movie that will blow the average-movie watcher away - but that is precisely why it is so good - it just doesn't work without YOU.
YOU are the 6th story - the 6th character.
'Mind the Gap' only sets up the formula, the pattern.
***YOU fill in THE GAP***
And it was. The movie tries very hard to be heart-warming and self-important to the point that I imagine turns off many viewers.
But they are missing out on a true gem. Despite its over-earnest nature, the movie succeeds in being a feel-good movie thanks to a well-written story and some superb acting by a group of relative unknowns.
The film touches on 5 very different people's lives and how they keep their heads up despite some very sad fortunes. The film teases at first, giving us almost no information about these characters and expecting us to care about them as they plod along. But patience is certainly a rewarded virtue here as the BIGGER PICTURE is slowly revealed and the intricacies of these character's lives come together in a way I would have never imagined.
The fantastic acting done by the whole cast helps to move the story along whenever it appears to be stalling. Each actor manages to etch out deep, hidden emotions and secrets from their characters that are not fully-realized until the very end of the film. If nothing else, this movie is a great study of "effect and cause", rather than "cause and effect". You are privileged to see how each character has been changed by events in their life long before you find out what those events were and how profoundly they impacted their recipients.
In some vague ways, this movie reminds me of the 1984 film 'Paris, Texas' starring Nastassja Kinski and Harry Dean Stanton. A sparse, slow-moving film about a man deeply affected by an event we don't know until the last 15 minutes.
Looking at it's IMDb page, another user gives 'Paris, Texas' the "Life-Changing Movie" stamp of approval that others have given 'Mind the Gap', and I agree. If you have the patience and can stomach the incessant mushiness, 'Mind the Gap' is the type of film that makes you step back and look at the world (and your life) with fresh eyes. There is nothing in this movie that will blow the average-movie watcher away - but that is precisely why it is so good - it just doesn't work without YOU.
YOU are the 6th story - the 6th character.
'Mind the Gap' only sets up the formula, the pattern.
***YOU fill in THE GAP***
a struggle at first but then...
williamonthefloor16 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Before I comment on the film. I wanted to point out that "mind the gap" is NOT an English expression, per se, it's what the recorded voice says when the doors to the London Underground opens. In America, we would say "watch your step". In England, the Londoner's hear "mind the gap". Because there's a gap of about two inches between the subway door and the platform.
The movie starts out almost grueling, with Alan King playing Alan King, a cantankerous, hostile man who has lived his life without purpose and feels it with a bitterness worse than gall. This comes out in a scene that I guess is him crying. But it can also be interpreted as him laughing. Whatever. His part in the movie could have been completely eliminated and he wouldn't have been missed. Just like now. He's dead and I sure as hell don't miss his belligerent attitude.
I borrowed the DVD from the library, and could only watch it in ten to twenty minute blocks, it was so slow getting anywhere. I would go online and look up filming locations, star biographies, other news items. For example, the director also acted in the movie. With his head shaved, he looked a lot like Robery Carlyle (from 28 Weeks Later, The Full Monty and Trainspotting).
Spoiler Alert below!: --------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------
The movie actually becomes worth watching immediately after the scene where Malissa (sic) has received her gift from Doctor Albertson. There is a photo on the wall that suddenly and completely changes the movie. Things start to come together at this point.
I don't know what I would have done or how much I would have understood if it wasn't for the fact that I saw this on DVD. The sound quality was mediocre and I had to repeat several scenes at least three times just to hear what they were saying. Additionally, there are no options for subtitles. And what is weirder is how FAR the movie jumps between the fast forward one shot buttons. It's not five minutes later but more like TWENTY minutes later. Most movies have at least 30 to 40 points where you can insert yourself into the film, this one has only EIGHT such points.
I suppose though that the movie redeemed itself in its own way.
The movie starts out almost grueling, with Alan King playing Alan King, a cantankerous, hostile man who has lived his life without purpose and feels it with a bitterness worse than gall. This comes out in a scene that I guess is him crying. But it can also be interpreted as him laughing. Whatever. His part in the movie could have been completely eliminated and he wouldn't have been missed. Just like now. He's dead and I sure as hell don't miss his belligerent attitude.
I borrowed the DVD from the library, and could only watch it in ten to twenty minute blocks, it was so slow getting anywhere. I would go online and look up filming locations, star biographies, other news items. For example, the director also acted in the movie. With his head shaved, he looked a lot like Robery Carlyle (from 28 Weeks Later, The Full Monty and Trainspotting).
Spoiler Alert below!: --------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------
The movie actually becomes worth watching immediately after the scene where Malissa (sic) has received her gift from Doctor Albertson. There is a photo on the wall that suddenly and completely changes the movie. Things start to come together at this point.
I don't know what I would have done or how much I would have understood if it wasn't for the fact that I saw this on DVD. The sound quality was mediocre and I had to repeat several scenes at least three times just to hear what they were saying. Additionally, there are no options for subtitles. And what is weirder is how FAR the movie jumps between the fast forward one shot buttons. It's not five minutes later but more like TWENTY minutes later. Most movies have at least 30 to 40 points where you can insert yourself into the film, this one has only EIGHT such points.
I suppose though that the movie redeemed itself in its own way.
So Very good.
CrabClawz318 July 2005
I had little to no expectations of this film and knew absolutely nothing about it. I was flabbergasted. It is really an excellent film. It made me cry but in a really good way. It is just very beautiful and moving. It makes you want to believe in something. I saw his other film, If Lucy Fell, and it meant nothing to me, I forgot about it after watching it. But this one is a total gem. I almost feel like it's my special little secret. But I want to share it with everyone because it really made me happy. That's just what it does. It makes you smile and it makes you feel something for the characters (the acting is fantastic). I acquired several crushes by the end of the film. Please, go to your local independent video retailer and rent it (or better yet buy it) right now.
Should not be called a comedy.
opquex31 August 2007
This movie is labeled as a comedy/drama, but it should only be the latter because it's rarely funny. And I don't mean that the humor is "stupid" and not funny, I mean it's a pretty sad film overall. Most of the main characters are seriously depressed. The only funny parts are between the kid and his dad. It's a pretty good film, but some people might actually cry. Don't rent it for a "good laugh," but rent it because it's sincere. It's inspiring how the film shows the unique ways people from all different areas are connected in their search for happiness. Aside from that, as others have noted, the sound on the DVD is seriously off in some places, which is quite annoying.
Life-Changing!
PILLY-111 July 2005
I watch so many movies, most of them become like wallpaper to my life, barely worthy of comment other than the 90 minute-long void in my life that they fill.
'Mind the Gap', however, was such enthralling viewing, and filled with so many points that made me question my own actions in life, that when the titles came up at the end, I actually felt that I had spent my time wisely, and felt so uplifted I had a tangible 'up-ness' about me! Superb acting, well-shot, and the intermingling stories provide a plot rich in human experience.
The most note-worthy film I have seen in a (sadly) long, long time! :-)
'Mind the Gap', however, was such enthralling viewing, and filled with so many points that made me question my own actions in life, that when the titles came up at the end, I actually felt that I had spent my time wisely, and felt so uplifted I had a tangible 'up-ness' about me! Superb acting, well-shot, and the intermingling stories provide a plot rich in human experience.
The most note-worthy film I have seen in a (sadly) long, long time! :-)
It Sort of Grows On You
gwitherspoon-114 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
At first I didn't like this movie at all and thought it was the worst film I'd seen in a long time. It was slow moving, the songs were dreadful and depressing, and the characters a collection of certifiable oddballs. Then, I watched it a second time with my daughter and it sort of grew on me. I still don't think the 5 characters were fleshed out enough but they were intriguing which made us want to know them better.
The street singer, Jody: She knew she had a bad heart and her doctor advised her against doing wind-sprint running and as soon as she left his office, that was the first thing she did. Did this woman have a death wish? She was a very odd looking person with a strange singing voice. Her songs went well with this movie but actually, if I had to listen to a DVD on heard them on the radio, I really wouldn't like them that much. I don't think her musical style is commercial at all and is best suited to folk bars. I think she and the unfaithful married guy were a fit pair.
Malissa: Why was it necessary to set the trailer on fire with her mother's body in it? I think it was supposed to symbolize her starting her life at last without the weight of her mother's hatred upon her. I felt so bad for her - it wasn't her fault that she was the child of rape, but it was weird that she took pictures of rapists and their mothers. I don't see why she was so opposed to wearing glasses either - why not get contact lenses then? Other than that, she seemed like an intelligent young lady and I wished her a good life with someone who really loved her.
I thought Sam and Rocky Blue were just plain strange - at least the dad seemed to develop some common sense at the end and realized he actually did care about the boy's biological mother. The boy seemed to have more sense than his dad. I thought it was a bit much that he just happened to be seeking someone (or something) and wandered into Malissa's room. She knew nothing whatever about him, yet the fact that he said he liked her better without her glasses and offered to smash them, made her realize that she didn't want her tubes tied after all and maybe having children wasn't the worst thing in the world, if they were conceived under the right circumstances. I don't think their encounter was done well at all.
Sam Blue seemed to be a bit of a baby - still bitter because he was jilted and hardening his heart against a real relationship with a woman. He was smothering his son too, so it was a good thing that he decided to have a relationship with the boy's biological mom in the end. The boy seemed to need a woman's or a mother's influence in his life.
I thought the unfaithful husband was just plain boring. Many married men have realized the folly of an extramarital affair and lost their wives because of it. I didn't feel a bit sorry for him at all - nobody made him choose to be unfaithful and he damn well knew what could happen if his wife found out. He just seemed stupid and pathetic.
Herb Schweitzer (Alan King) seemed to be the stereotypical crusty, nostalgic old widower. We did sense his loneliness, fear and helplessness over the loss of his wife, his past youth, and his good health. He was really out of place in the world and seemed not to really want to stick around. The background music accompanying his scenes made you want to commit suicide!!
I didn't get the point of that guy dancing with a blow up doll on the street corner or why so many people would stop to watch him. I'm not sure what the writer/director was trying to say.
All in all, a very intriguing film with characters that could have been rounded out a little more.
The street singer, Jody: She knew she had a bad heart and her doctor advised her against doing wind-sprint running and as soon as she left his office, that was the first thing she did. Did this woman have a death wish? She was a very odd looking person with a strange singing voice. Her songs went well with this movie but actually, if I had to listen to a DVD on heard them on the radio, I really wouldn't like them that much. I don't think her musical style is commercial at all and is best suited to folk bars. I think she and the unfaithful married guy were a fit pair.
Malissa: Why was it necessary to set the trailer on fire with her mother's body in it? I think it was supposed to symbolize her starting her life at last without the weight of her mother's hatred upon her. I felt so bad for her - it wasn't her fault that she was the child of rape, but it was weird that she took pictures of rapists and their mothers. I don't see why she was so opposed to wearing glasses either - why not get contact lenses then? Other than that, she seemed like an intelligent young lady and I wished her a good life with someone who really loved her.
I thought Sam and Rocky Blue were just plain strange - at least the dad seemed to develop some common sense at the end and realized he actually did care about the boy's biological mother. The boy seemed to have more sense than his dad. I thought it was a bit much that he just happened to be seeking someone (or something) and wandered into Malissa's room. She knew nothing whatever about him, yet the fact that he said he liked her better without her glasses and offered to smash them, made her realize that she didn't want her tubes tied after all and maybe having children wasn't the worst thing in the world, if they were conceived under the right circumstances. I don't think their encounter was done well at all.
Sam Blue seemed to be a bit of a baby - still bitter because he was jilted and hardening his heart against a real relationship with a woman. He was smothering his son too, so it was a good thing that he decided to have a relationship with the boy's biological mom in the end. The boy seemed to need a woman's or a mother's influence in his life.
I thought the unfaithful husband was just plain boring. Many married men have realized the folly of an extramarital affair and lost their wives because of it. I didn't feel a bit sorry for him at all - nobody made him choose to be unfaithful and he damn well knew what could happen if his wife found out. He just seemed stupid and pathetic.
Herb Schweitzer (Alan King) seemed to be the stereotypical crusty, nostalgic old widower. We did sense his loneliness, fear and helplessness over the loss of his wife, his past youth, and his good health. He was really out of place in the world and seemed not to really want to stick around. The background music accompanying his scenes made you want to commit suicide!!
I didn't get the point of that guy dancing with a blow up doll on the street corner or why so many people would stop to watch him. I'm not sure what the writer/director was trying to say.
All in all, a very intriguing film with characters that could have been rounded out a little more.
Best film I saw at SXSW 2004
macnugget14 March 2004
A strikingly poignant examination of the role of forgiveness in our lives. Schaeffer has created a collage of memorable characters and provides the audience with ample reason to care for their fates. The dialog is crisp and meaningful, the characters are unique and memorable, and the film concludes balanced and cohesive.
The film managed to brush the very edge of my tolerance for adversity as each character faced with their personal demons, but never stepped past the threshold into contrivance or absurdity. The usual cliches and "movie" plot mechanisms were ably dodged and the ending was more than I'd expected and all I could have hoped for.
This is the film that Magnolia wishes it could have been.
The film managed to brush the very edge of my tolerance for adversity as each character faced with their personal demons, but never stepped past the threshold into contrivance or absurdity. The usual cliches and "movie" plot mechanisms were ably dodged and the ending was more than I'd expected and all I could have hoped for.
This is the film that Magnolia wishes it could have been.
had potential, but I was left very disappointed.
tonys-annoying-spam24 September 2006
I read comment after comment about how poignant and touching and inspiring this movie is. perhaps my expectations are a little higher.
2/3 into the movie, I still had barely a clue about where it was going, and what the wonderful inspiring message was going to be.
3/3 into the movie, I had NO CLUE what it was about. this was unsettling for me, because I usually find some value even in movies that most people don't like or understand.
granted, there were a few touching moments, a few provocative moments and a few reminders about life. however, there was no clear message common to the 5 sub-plots.
I give the movie a 5 based on some good scenes and the individual messages they carried. however, they never gelled into a whole as was done well in Love Actually and brilliantly in Playing By Heart.
I will continue to rely on IMDb comments for whether to watch a movie, since the last 3 little known flicks I saw were absolute gems. however, I must disagree with you all on this one!
2/3 into the movie, I still had barely a clue about where it was going, and what the wonderful inspiring message was going to be.
3/3 into the movie, I had NO CLUE what it was about. this was unsettling for me, because I usually find some value even in movies that most people don't like or understand.
granted, there were a few touching moments, a few provocative moments and a few reminders about life. however, there was no clear message common to the 5 sub-plots.
I give the movie a 5 based on some good scenes and the individual messages they carried. however, they never gelled into a whole as was done well in Love Actually and brilliantly in Playing By Heart.
I will continue to rely on IMDb comments for whether to watch a movie, since the last 3 little known flicks I saw were absolute gems. however, I must disagree with you all on this one!
very small film, with a very big heart.
austycraiger30 October 2005
This movie, while at first seems like a series of vignettes, ultimately connects to the watcher, and pulls you in, and then weaves a tale, thats heartbreaking, and heartwarming, all at the time. I was very impressed with all the performances. I will admit that I watched it solely because I am a Jill Sobule fan. Her performance was amazing in my opinion, but I was very drawn in and loved every minute of this film.
I think more people need to see it, and hopefully tell all their friends to see it. I can only hope.
Also, Elizabeth Reaser should be on everyones "to watch" list. I recently saw Stay as well, and she is amazing in that film. I cant wait to see what she does, and I hope that someday she will recognized for her talents.
At any rate, this movie is well done. Please see it, enjoy it, and be touched by it.
I think more people need to see it, and hopefully tell all their friends to see it. I can only hope.
Also, Elizabeth Reaser should be on everyones "to watch" list. I recently saw Stay as well, and she is amazing in that film. I cant wait to see what she does, and I hope that someday she will recognized for her talents.
At any rate, this movie is well done. Please see it, enjoy it, and be touched by it.
Excellent & Powerful Movie
tinkerlily_20005 December 2005
I watched this movie in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. I had no idea what to expect, having never heard of the movie, and was pleasantly surprised.
What an amazing and diverse group of characters, all very complex. By the end I cared deeply for all of them.
The story lines were riveting and unpredictable. In the beginning, I couldn't imagine where this movie was going but it was a pleasure to watch it evolve.
I have not had a movie affect me like this in a very long time. Some very powerful and emotional messages....I highly recommend it and can't wait to see it again.
What an amazing and diverse group of characters, all very complex. By the end I cared deeply for all of them.
The story lines were riveting and unpredictable. In the beginning, I couldn't imagine where this movie was going but it was a pleasure to watch it evolve.
I have not had a movie affect me like this in a very long time. Some very powerful and emotional messages....I highly recommend it and can't wait to see it again.
Mind The Gap
mtnmama-313 May 2006
If you're looking for a wonderful, heart-warming story, with lives being intertwined with amazing grace and honesty, see "Mind The Gap". I spend a lot of nights in hotel rooms just waiting for morning and another days work. While channel surfing I stopped at the sight of Alan King shuffling down a New York street. I spent the next couple of hours or so in total awe at the basket being made before my eyes. I wasn't even sure what I was seeing but I knew it was going to be a piece of art when it was finished, and I was right. I did not know until I did some internet digging the name of the movie, or the fact that it was Mr. King's last. He was an amazing talent. Oh, and the music is most awesome and entertaining as well. Jill Soublue is VERY entertaining, and very easy listening. I'm buying the DVD, the music, and anything else I can think of. If you haven't seen this movie, and enjoy a great heart-warming story, see it soon!!
Worth seeing again
sosefrank11 November 2004
The movie reminds about everyday life. You meet people who may smile or laugh but deep inside they are not happy. As you watch the movie it feels like you are living it. Each five characters had their own problems yet were laughing and smiling trying not to show what they were hiding deep inside. Each five of them took life on their own and went after their destinies. I adored Malissa's acts. Her mother told her she hated her, but yet Malissa never quit taking care of her sick mother. After her mother's death she became a traveler leaving her home and later on her car and exploring the world. There is a lot to learn from each five characters. "Mind The Gap" is the movie that will never bore you even if you watch it day after day.
I wanna get bitter, I wanna talk mean
gothicgoblin133430 May 2006
Just awful, I now know how Alan King died! When he found out that this movie wasn't a joke, he completely croaked! Thank God, by the way, that no one really likes this film and the film is a big joke anyway. It is the worst movie ever made, don't believe me? Watch this film for yourself! I mean, the director (who apparently wrote the film too!) probably half-assed the script thinking it was so great even though the movie was way too overrated, it's just such a terrible movie. Like I said, if you think it's good just because other people like it, then you're out of your mind. This movie is just so awful, and the songs in this are terrible! Pointless messages galore the genre should be horror because I was pretty scared watching this crap!
Very spiritual movie
manu-6227 December 2005
A powerful, well-paced guide for living and relationships. Enormous spiritual content permeate life and death and evolution. Mind the gap is a British expression and a spiritual-psychological technique (though this is never mentioned).
There is much silence in the gaps between the lives of the disparate people who evolve throughout the movie. There are relationships full of regret and longing that are transcended by the sheer depth of experience and feeling of the characters.
The theme is relationship between father and son, and the longing and regret that it inevitably produces. The ideal of romantic love is seen through the eyes of people who don't know what they're looking for but who need to find it. A little too much close to most of our own realities, or just enough to identify with nearly everyone in the film.
Some fine performances and directing. A sleeper, which makes one wonder if this is a one shot wonder of if the same crew can do it again.
There is much silence in the gaps between the lives of the disparate people who evolve throughout the movie. There are relationships full of regret and longing that are transcended by the sheer depth of experience and feeling of the characters.
The theme is relationship between father and son, and the longing and regret that it inevitably produces. The ideal of romantic love is seen through the eyes of people who don't know what they're looking for but who need to find it. A little too much close to most of our own realities, or just enough to identify with nearly everyone in the film.
Some fine performances and directing. A sleeper, which makes one wonder if this is a one shot wonder of if the same crew can do it again.
heartwarming,sweet nostalgic film
rosaliescanvas23 October 2004
This film has an eclectic cast of characters who could be substituted for many people you know in your own life (the belligerent elderly gentleman,the sweet helpful blonde,the bitter divorcée,the singer who just needs a break,the bitter father(s),the kooky personalities,etc. I would have liked a little more character development of the divorced father. The music was fabulous and I will definitely get the singer's c.d. when out. The film was both heartwarming and poignant and I really enjoyed it. The trailer made me want to see it. Who's the beautiful blonde that attempts to help him cross the street? Kooky, funny, heartwarming,nostalgic film. Sad that this was Alan King's last movie.
A correction, and agreement
billyweeds30 March 2004
There are actually FIVE stories told in this movie, each one emotionally valid and moving. The form is a multi-comedy-drama, on the order of "Magnolia" and "Short Cuts" but better than either by quite some distance. The fifth story (not mentioned in the earlier review) is about a singer-songwriter with a heart condition, played very solidly by real-life singer-songwriter Jill ("I Kissed a Girl") Sobule.
The movie represents a quantum leap for writer-director Schaeffer, who truly comes into his own with this one. Not only is the writing excellent, but he does wonders with his cast, including the redoubtable Alan King, never better on screen. And Schaeffer's own performance is by far his best to date--hilarious beyond his previous work and satisfyingly emotional, too.
The movie represents a quantum leap for writer-director Schaeffer, who truly comes into his own with this one. Not only is the writing excellent, but he does wonders with his cast, including the redoubtable Alan King, never better on screen. And Schaeffer's own performance is by far his best to date--hilarious beyond his previous work and satisfyingly emotional, too.
What a wonderful film!
red_kira1 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Just lovely. Heartbreaking (don't believe the liner notes - this is not a comedy) and beautifully acted and wonderfully written. Haunting music. May take you a few moments to get into, but WORTH THE TIME. The cast is uniformly delightful. The plot is exceptionally quirky. Wonderful denouement. I utterly adored this film.
And if you are wondering, the man dancing with a female mannequin is a real guy. I used to see him regularly when I worked in NYC and lived upstate. The shots of him dancing with his doll are a delicious device that you'll only appreciate at the very end of the film.
I'd watch this again in a heartbeat, and have recommended it to all my friends.
And if you are wondering, the man dancing with a female mannequin is a real guy. I used to see him regularly when I worked in NYC and lived upstate. The shots of him dancing with his doll are a delicious device that you'll only appreciate at the very end of the film.
I'd watch this again in a heartbeat, and have recommended it to all my friends.
Best Narrative Feature at SXSW!
babybirdie2228 March 2004
You come to care for the lives of a disparate and disperse handful of unfulfilled characters (whether they know it or not), and on their journeys, physical and emotional, their lives intersect in unusual ways. A very tight story, top-notch acting, a beautiful film. I cared for each character and even cried for two of them. Best child actor I've seen in years, too. One plot shift, however, shook my suspension of disbelief, hence the 9 and not the 10. Otherwise a seamless film.
This movie was GREAT!!!
hancock52 December 2006
I just happen to be at home getting over the flu (on a Saturday) and I have never heard of this film "MIND THE GAP", I missed the first 15 minutes of it but I have to applaud the writer. This movie was awesome... this movie was absolutely emotionally intense!!! I would highly recommend seeing this film to anyone if you are looking for really good dialogue and content without that huge budget commercialized junk that is out there. This movie reminds me a lot like MAGNOLIA & CRASH, very emotional and you actually felt what they did and felt like you were right there with them.
Word to the writer: Don't STOP!!! Thanks!!!
Word to the writer: Don't STOP!!! Thanks!!!
Fantastic introspective
fchristiani27 December 2007
This was a memorable movie that paralleled my life so much, it was like a divine intervention that i see this movie at particular film at this particular point in my life. Obviously it had a tremendous impact with me and the message it meant to convey. I'm sure there was a massage meant for all, But i would like to think it was meant just for me, and who knows maybe it was and the rest of you were there to bear witness.
For me to rave over this movie really says something, i pride myself on my sense judgment of character and movies this is a must see, and if it doesn't move you on some level, you have no sole.....just shoot yourself!
Just kidding don't shoot yourself, but go talk to someone.....Fast!!!
For me to rave over this movie really says something, i pride myself on my sense judgment of character and movies this is a must see, and if it doesn't move you on some level, you have no sole.....just shoot yourself!
Just kidding don't shoot yourself, but go talk to someone.....Fast!!!
Five threads make a very strong chord
slrussell-15 July 2008
As the logline for this film indicates, it tells five different stories in the space of less than two hours. Beautifully filmed and intricately woven vignettes that at first might leave a viewer scratching his/her head, become a chord of great strength. When the director plucks it, oh how it sings!
The film takes nearly forty minutes to set up the five seemingly unrelated stories, but each of the main characters is so well drawn and wonderfully acted that I can't imagine cutting one minute of the first-act screen time. Once the raw material was laid out on the filmmaker's loom, the picture quickly formed an incredible tapestry of dreams that resonate with most of humanity, but seldom find fulfillment because of internal and/or external limitations.
The ending satisfied with a resonance that continued to grow for many days after watching. Do you want to see a world of possibilities, hope, joy, and an infinite future? Then watch Mind The Gap.
The film takes nearly forty minutes to set up the five seemingly unrelated stories, but each of the main characters is so well drawn and wonderfully acted that I can't imagine cutting one minute of the first-act screen time. Once the raw material was laid out on the filmmaker's loom, the picture quickly formed an incredible tapestry of dreams that resonate with most of humanity, but seldom find fulfillment because of internal and/or external limitations.
The ending satisfied with a resonance that continued to grow for many days after watching. Do you want to see a world of possibilities, hope, joy, and an infinite future? Then watch Mind The Gap.
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