This is a sweet, not twee, slight film that was quite enjoyable. The theme of people, like birds, moving on after their nests have been disturbed is an important one. The film attempts to convey this rather abstract idea by using the technique of cross cutting between three stories to sustain the viewer's interest. The fact that these stories don't intersect and have only a subtle thematic connection creates a film where the whole seems less than the sum of the parts. That this apparently was the director's first full length film makes sense since it feels like three shorts that have been spliced together. Each of the stories is touching and does create feeling for the characters. I do think the writer/director has real talent and i will look out for his next film.
13 Reviews
Some things are better in song
jimcheva16 January 2012
I'm thinking of writing a book called "Everything You Really Need to Know is in Some Beatles Song". In this case, the song would be "Eleanor Rigby", though here all the lonely people - whose portrayal seems to be the main point of this film - find at least some company. But the portrayal of loneliness is also a popular indie film theme and here it is very much given the indie film treatment: self-conscious quirkiness, studious poignancy, at least one out of the ordinary pairing. And largely aimless development, alas. Aimless, yet predictable in its aimlessness. As so often in first films (and this done on a very small budget), there is a lot to like here, notably the acting, which is alive and natural throughout. And there may come a time when this is mainly remembered as this promising director's early effort. What is more, the success this film has had award-wise show that indie juries at least still like the essentially formulaic approach of this sort of film. Me, I was watching four indie films in a row and hoping for that one you usually get that awakes and surprises you and goes beyond anything you expected. This wasn't it.
Actually remarkable--ignore the rating and see this nicely felt set of dramas
secondtake27 April 2013
Hello Lonesome (2010)
An appropriate title--three couples independently form out of mutual loneliness. Unlike some movies with parallel plots (like "Crash") this one doesn't make the three separate worlds meet. What unifies them is their similar striving for companionship.
And what makes them different is partly what makes the movie terrific. For one older guy with money and a fun if whacky sense of playfulness in his life, all he can manage is a superficial evening of partying with a girl he had met almost a year earlier. For a young guy with an obsession with sports betting the growing tragic needs of his girlfriend adds a needed human dimension to his thin life. The third man is a bit of an effete introvert and he finds comfort visiting the older widow next door, with uncertain sexual intentions.
This is the bare bones, and there are turns and surprises that have to remain surprises so I say no more. Except that the movie makes each situation real and emotionally ripe without sentimentalism (which took some serious restraint in at least one of the three stories, as you'll see). Director, writer, and producer Adam Reid deftly takes a formulaic structure and makes a vivid, living, rather touching movie. The three stories on their own are probably not as complex or original as you might hope, but as a trio they form something much larger than the parts.
And Reid gets the actors to completely inhabit their characters. Necessarily, no one gets a majority role here--at most they have a portion of a third of the screen time--but each of the pairs works superbly. (One of the "couples" is mostly about the man, so there are in essence five main actors.) You can't quite call it ensemble acting since the five never meet all together (this gives nothing away--you don't expect or need this), but in each smaller aspect of the film the acting is tight and sensitive and genuine.
See this. I remember being a little bored at first, getting to know the group, and this might be because there are so many and it takes longer than usual to fall in with them individually. So give it time to start to gel and take a couple of life turns. It's a lovely independent movie.
An appropriate title--three couples independently form out of mutual loneliness. Unlike some movies with parallel plots (like "Crash") this one doesn't make the three separate worlds meet. What unifies them is their similar striving for companionship.
And what makes them different is partly what makes the movie terrific. For one older guy with money and a fun if whacky sense of playfulness in his life, all he can manage is a superficial evening of partying with a girl he had met almost a year earlier. For a young guy with an obsession with sports betting the growing tragic needs of his girlfriend adds a needed human dimension to his thin life. The third man is a bit of an effete introvert and he finds comfort visiting the older widow next door, with uncertain sexual intentions.
This is the bare bones, and there are turns and surprises that have to remain surprises so I say no more. Except that the movie makes each situation real and emotionally ripe without sentimentalism (which took some serious restraint in at least one of the three stories, as you'll see). Director, writer, and producer Adam Reid deftly takes a formulaic structure and makes a vivid, living, rather touching movie. The three stories on their own are probably not as complex or original as you might hope, but as a trio they form something much larger than the parts.
And Reid gets the actors to completely inhabit their characters. Necessarily, no one gets a majority role here--at most they have a portion of a third of the screen time--but each of the pairs works superbly. (One of the "couples" is mostly about the man, so there are in essence five main actors.) You can't quite call it ensemble acting since the five never meet all together (this gives nothing away--you don't expect or need this), but in each smaller aspect of the film the acting is tight and sensitive and genuine.
See this. I remember being a little bored at first, getting to know the group, and this might be because there are so many and it takes longer than usual to fall in with them individually. So give it time to start to gel and take a couple of life turns. It's a lovely independent movie.
Poigant film about the real things in life.
dgioiella18 November 2011
Adam Reid's first feature is excellent. He takes three unrelated but interwoven stories about love and life and sadness and loss, and makes one cohesive whole of them. Very smoothly and in a way that really draws you in.
Reid develops his characters in strong and believable ways, never overacted or romanticized. The story interweaves many emotions, and lives, and moments in a way that often makes you feel something real. And that is a rare accomplishment in a first film.
The cast is also very strong. Subtle and nuanced performances. Especially by first timer Harry Chase.
Watch it, you'll see, and I bet you'll tell your friends about it. Oh, the music choices are great too.
Reid develops his characters in strong and believable ways, never overacted or romanticized. The story interweaves many emotions, and lives, and moments in a way that often makes you feel something real. And that is a rare accomplishment in a first film.
The cast is also very strong. Subtle and nuanced performances. Especially by first timer Harry Chase.
Watch it, you'll see, and I bet you'll tell your friends about it. Oh, the music choices are great too.
First time writer/director serves up compelling vignettes in auspicious debut
Turfseer11 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Adam Reid's debut features three separate tales connected only by the theme of loneliness. One story is about a young woman who contracts breast cancer, just when her relationship with a new boyfriend is heating up. Another story focuses on a woman who's no longer able to drive since she's losing her vision, and calls upon a much younger man who lives next door, to help her out. The third and final story is about Bill, played Harry Chase, who's a voice over artist in real life. Bill is divorced and works mainly creating commercials in a soundproof studio, inside his suburban home.
The first story about the young couple, Debby and Gordon, is refreshing for the exploration of the odd relationship between the two young people. They play a game where they reveals things about themselves through a series of questions and answers. Debby is often frank about her feelings and doesn't shy away from bringing up topics such as farting, during their conversations. Reid based Debby on his own sister, who died of breast cancer. Debby and Gordon's saga is bogged down when Debby contracts State IV breast cancer in the film and Gordon must tend to her at her bedside. Despite the slow-moving machinations, Gordon comes off as a noble character, as he marries Debby, knowing full well she has little time left. Reid inserts some irony at the end of this segment, when Gordon wins a tremendous amount of money betting on a football game, but blandly declares, "I won", as Debby draws her last breaths.
While Gordon is left lonely after Debby's death, Eleanor experiences a different sort of loneliness. She's forced to sell her 1966 Thunderbird Coupe after her license is taken away by Motor Vehicles. Her great hope is that something might develop between she and Gary, her next-door-neighbor, who agrees to drive her to the grocery store whenever she runs out of food. Gary, the unemotional copy writer, puts up with Eleanor's moodiness and her odd obsessions (Gary drives Eleanor to the scene where her prized Thunderbird is parked outside the home of the new owner, and places a plastic cover over it, in order to prevent it from getting dirty). To Eleanor's chagrin, Gary has no intention of getting into anything more than a platonic relationship, which is where the couple end up. In a dramatic moment, Eleanor takes Gary's car and uses her old set of keys, to take the Thunderbird for one last spin. When she returns to Gary's bed, she cuddles up to him, but he fails to reciprocate the warm feelings, remaining in a deep slumber.
In contrast to the stories of the two couples where there is the hope that each of the relationships may be consummated in a positive fashion, Bill remains stuck in his negative lifestyle, an unpleasant curmudgeon, who is angry in particular, due to the failure of his estranged daughter to return his phone calls. Bill does have a woman who occasionally comes over, but she appears to be a prostitute. His most satisfactory contact with another human being is his brief and superficial conversations with Omar, the postal carrier, who brings him his mail every couple of days. Omar seems to have no interest in Bill's preoccupations, rejecting his request to join him in an expedition to shoot bottles in the woods. Bill's story takes a dramatic turn when he accidentally locks himself in his soundproof studio booth and almost dies from lack of water. Fortunately for Bill, Omar saves him from certain death, after entering the curmudgeon's house and finding him trapped inside his recording studio. Does Bill learn anything from his near death experience? Probably not, as he's seen driving away from his home, unfazed by trauma that probably would have unsettled most normal people.
Adam Reid has done wonders handling the writing, directing and screen writing here. Shot on a minuscule budget of $50,000, the film has a nice, professional look. While not all the plotting or the characters are sufficiently developed, 'Hello Lonesome' should be considered a most auspicious debut, for this talented, first-time writer/director.
The first story about the young couple, Debby and Gordon, is refreshing for the exploration of the odd relationship between the two young people. They play a game where they reveals things about themselves through a series of questions and answers. Debby is often frank about her feelings and doesn't shy away from bringing up topics such as farting, during their conversations. Reid based Debby on his own sister, who died of breast cancer. Debby and Gordon's saga is bogged down when Debby contracts State IV breast cancer in the film and Gordon must tend to her at her bedside. Despite the slow-moving machinations, Gordon comes off as a noble character, as he marries Debby, knowing full well she has little time left. Reid inserts some irony at the end of this segment, when Gordon wins a tremendous amount of money betting on a football game, but blandly declares, "I won", as Debby draws her last breaths.
While Gordon is left lonely after Debby's death, Eleanor experiences a different sort of loneliness. She's forced to sell her 1966 Thunderbird Coupe after her license is taken away by Motor Vehicles. Her great hope is that something might develop between she and Gary, her next-door-neighbor, who agrees to drive her to the grocery store whenever she runs out of food. Gary, the unemotional copy writer, puts up with Eleanor's moodiness and her odd obsessions (Gary drives Eleanor to the scene where her prized Thunderbird is parked outside the home of the new owner, and places a plastic cover over it, in order to prevent it from getting dirty). To Eleanor's chagrin, Gary has no intention of getting into anything more than a platonic relationship, which is where the couple end up. In a dramatic moment, Eleanor takes Gary's car and uses her old set of keys, to take the Thunderbird for one last spin. When she returns to Gary's bed, she cuddles up to him, but he fails to reciprocate the warm feelings, remaining in a deep slumber.
In contrast to the stories of the two couples where there is the hope that each of the relationships may be consummated in a positive fashion, Bill remains stuck in his negative lifestyle, an unpleasant curmudgeon, who is angry in particular, due to the failure of his estranged daughter to return his phone calls. Bill does have a woman who occasionally comes over, but she appears to be a prostitute. His most satisfactory contact with another human being is his brief and superficial conversations with Omar, the postal carrier, who brings him his mail every couple of days. Omar seems to have no interest in Bill's preoccupations, rejecting his request to join him in an expedition to shoot bottles in the woods. Bill's story takes a dramatic turn when he accidentally locks himself in his soundproof studio booth and almost dies from lack of water. Fortunately for Bill, Omar saves him from certain death, after entering the curmudgeon's house and finding him trapped inside his recording studio. Does Bill learn anything from his near death experience? Probably not, as he's seen driving away from his home, unfazed by trauma that probably would have unsettled most normal people.
Adam Reid has done wonders handling the writing, directing and screen writing here. Shot on a minuscule budget of $50,000, the film has a nice, professional look. While not all the plotting or the characters are sufficiently developed, 'Hello Lonesome' should be considered a most auspicious debut, for this talented, first-time writer/director.
3 stories about real people at real turning points woven into 1 great film
billpyke20 November 2011
Hello Lonesome is a brilliant first film from some of the freshest new talent anywhere. The sophisticated direction by Adam Reid is met with nuanced performances by skillful actors. The indie vibe is unforced and genuine - not amateur or in-your-face. Never descending into melancholy, though the film's subject matter is for thoughtful adults, playfulness and joy permeate the atmosphere. Characters are three-dimensional, real people. They don't wear white hats or black hats. This is not Hollywood garbage. Watching these characters grow and evolve is a treat. There are no obvious answers to life's prickly dilemmas. And the film does not expect us to believe otherwise.
This is a gem of a film. You will be enriched for seeing it.
This is a gem of a film. You will be enriched for seeing it.
So lonesome you could cry
StevePulaski11 June 2015
First time writer/director Adam Reid understands loneliness with his debut film Hello Lonesome, so much so that he captures it in one of the best ways possible - through a series of fragmented vignettes showcasing some attribute of daily life that, on most cases, is generally unremarkable. Loneliness is best defined in films by showing characters going through the motions or making a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to basic conversations. Even a simple phone call with someone you met on a dating website, a voicemail you're leaving someone you know won't call you back, or a cantankerous exchange with a delivery boy serve as some of the most noteworthy events of the day when you're by yourself.
Hello Lonesome is a triptych, following six wayward souls and their interactions with one another. One is Bill (Harry Chase), an isolated voice-over artist still broken up about his wife leaving him and his daughter's refusal to return his phone calls. Bill, in the midst of doing a great deal of professional recording, befriends a delivery man (Kamel Boutros) who frequently tolerates Bill's blunt and unpredictable behavior each and every day. Another story follows a young sports fanatic/gambler named Gordon (Nate Smith), who meets and falls in love with a woman named Trish (Traci Hovel) on a dating website. The two strike up an amiable chemistry, basking in their inability to cook but unconditional ability to be there for one another, even when Trish comes down with a life-threatening ailment early in on their relationship. Finally, there's Eleanor (Lynn Cohen), an elderly women who loses her license and subsequently sells her antique car, which we can tell was likely the only thing in her life she was close to. As a result, she relies on her young neighbor Gary (James Urbaniak) to taxi her to different places, as well as listen to her stories about her late husband and spy on the new owner of her vehicle to assure he's taking proper care of it.
All of these stories are rather unconventional when specifics are dissected, but the basic outline and structure of each one is just believable enough to take seriously. Reid doesn't get too wrapped up in specifics as he does with playing with the idea of loneliness, making each story achieve a common ground amongst anyone who has ever felt lonely and isolated, either by choice or by circumstance. We have Bill, who is the epitome of absolute loneliness, where he has no family to turn to and no friends to speak of at the current point in time, Gordon and Trish, who have each found someone they really connect with but will inevitably be back where they started in just a short time, and Eleanor, who is facing the fear of dying without anyone to remember her or any companionship in the final days.
Reid sensitively paints these characters' stories without elements of condescension or a poetic sense of finality. There's an almost observational angle being explored here, showing these lives unfold without the crippling devices such as plot points or point-A-to-point-B progression. This is a very liberal film in the way it delicately takes its time to show these characters, through vignettes rather than carefully structured scenarios. It's almost reasonable to believe that Reid wrote this film using the "stream of consciousness" method in that he simply allowed his mind to bleed on the paper or the keyboard.
Hello Lonesome isn't as dialog-heavy as I personally would've liked, but perhaps that works to capture the aura of these people. Small talk and hesitation is common when one is lonely, for fear of opening up or getting to connected, but there's also the element of being so starved for connection you wind up saying practically anything just to get your words out of your head and into somebody else's. Reid doesn't toy with the latter so much, but in such a short amount of time, he gives us characters worth observing and ideas about loneliness worth contemplating.
Starring: Harry Chase, Nate Smith, Traci Hovel, Lynn Cohen, James Urbaniak, and Kamel Boutros. Directed by: Adam Reid.
Hello Lonesome is a triptych, following six wayward souls and their interactions with one another. One is Bill (Harry Chase), an isolated voice-over artist still broken up about his wife leaving him and his daughter's refusal to return his phone calls. Bill, in the midst of doing a great deal of professional recording, befriends a delivery man (Kamel Boutros) who frequently tolerates Bill's blunt and unpredictable behavior each and every day. Another story follows a young sports fanatic/gambler named Gordon (Nate Smith), who meets and falls in love with a woman named Trish (Traci Hovel) on a dating website. The two strike up an amiable chemistry, basking in their inability to cook but unconditional ability to be there for one another, even when Trish comes down with a life-threatening ailment early in on their relationship. Finally, there's Eleanor (Lynn Cohen), an elderly women who loses her license and subsequently sells her antique car, which we can tell was likely the only thing in her life she was close to. As a result, she relies on her young neighbor Gary (James Urbaniak) to taxi her to different places, as well as listen to her stories about her late husband and spy on the new owner of her vehicle to assure he's taking proper care of it.
All of these stories are rather unconventional when specifics are dissected, but the basic outline and structure of each one is just believable enough to take seriously. Reid doesn't get too wrapped up in specifics as he does with playing with the idea of loneliness, making each story achieve a common ground amongst anyone who has ever felt lonely and isolated, either by choice or by circumstance. We have Bill, who is the epitome of absolute loneliness, where he has no family to turn to and no friends to speak of at the current point in time, Gordon and Trish, who have each found someone they really connect with but will inevitably be back where they started in just a short time, and Eleanor, who is facing the fear of dying without anyone to remember her or any companionship in the final days.
Reid sensitively paints these characters' stories without elements of condescension or a poetic sense of finality. There's an almost observational angle being explored here, showing these lives unfold without the crippling devices such as plot points or point-A-to-point-B progression. This is a very liberal film in the way it delicately takes its time to show these characters, through vignettes rather than carefully structured scenarios. It's almost reasonable to believe that Reid wrote this film using the "stream of consciousness" method in that he simply allowed his mind to bleed on the paper or the keyboard.
Hello Lonesome isn't as dialog-heavy as I personally would've liked, but perhaps that works to capture the aura of these people. Small talk and hesitation is common when one is lonely, for fear of opening up or getting to connected, but there's also the element of being so starved for connection you wind up saying practically anything just to get your words out of your head and into somebody else's. Reid doesn't toy with the latter so much, but in such a short amount of time, he gives us characters worth observing and ideas about loneliness worth contemplating.
Starring: Harry Chase, Nate Smith, Traci Hovel, Lynn Cohen, James Urbaniak, and Kamel Boutros. Directed by: Adam Reid.
Amazing - watch this one! Can stream it on Netflix now.
dancinqueen4730 September 2012
There is no way this deserves 5 stars. It is far better than other titles that are rated a great deal higher here. The few external reviews I've had a chance to read seem to agree, it is an excellent film.
I cannot sing the praises of Hello Lonesome highly enough. Everything about it was almost perfection. Great writing, direction, cinematography and not least, superb casting and acting! It amazed me that all the actors were unknown to me, yet all were more than competent and also talented.
Every story was believable and each one elicited emotions and feelings in me. I could relate to every character.
Honestly, I enjoyed this as much or more as anything I have seen in my many years of seeing movies. It is now on Netflix streaming, which is how I saw it.
I only buy movies that I think are exceptional. This is one that I will be purchasing (for myself and a couple to give as gifts).
See it - I'd be surprised if you didn't love it.
I cannot sing the praises of Hello Lonesome highly enough. Everything about it was almost perfection. Great writing, direction, cinematography and not least, superb casting and acting! It amazed me that all the actors were unknown to me, yet all were more than competent and also talented.
Every story was believable and each one elicited emotions and feelings in me. I could relate to every character.
Honestly, I enjoyed this as much or more as anything I have seen in my many years of seeing movies. It is now on Netflix streaming, which is how I saw it.
I only buy movies that I think are exceptional. This is one that I will be purchasing (for myself and a couple to give as gifts).
See it - I'd be surprised if you didn't love it.
One of the best independent films I've ever seen!
ccynthialynn25 February 2011
I saw this film at the Woodstock Film Festival last fall. Out of the twelve films I saw that weekend, this was my favorite one. It is the perfect combination of wit, sadness and love. It is such a great movie with, what I interpreted, companionship. Throughout the weekend, I kept hearing people talk about the film, and everyone seemed to share my feelings for it. This is easily one of the best independent films I've seen. What I specifically enjoyed about it was how every time I thought something was going to happen in the plot, I was pleasantly surprised with a small twist. There were also a few quotes from the film that still linger in my mind. All in all, it was a spectacular film. I hate to be cliché...but I definitely laughed and cried! It's a must see!!!
This is a delightful film dealing with 3 different groups of people gently and imaginatively dealing with the reality of the aloneness of the human experience.
ruthaflaherty24 February 2012
This is a lovely and intriguing film filled with humanity, humor, pathos and most importantly whimsy. The story unfolds in such a gentle, sensitive yet matter-of-fact way that the viewer immediately consents to be taken along as part of a journey cushioned with the innate feeling that real, though maybe quiet, magic is possible, even available in real life to real people. The actors all do a fine job, particularly Lynn Cohen, James Urbaniak, and Kamel Boutros. First time director, Adam Reid brings to the screen a palpable empathy for the characters and has the light touch that a more experienced director might have developed. I look forward to future work from him.
Life can make you smile, even when it's a little sad.
stevenfett25 July 2012
A Really wonderful movie. I've never written a review before and decided that this would be my first. I suppose the movie inspired it, so that's saying something. Three separate story lines are featured, each offering a very human perspective on life, love, and loneliness. All six central characters deliver strong performances, each one so different from the next. There is a story for everybody to identify with,and all three stories are great. Harry Chase was totally compelling. You root for his character, but he also shows you a darker side, which,it seems he is trying and struggling to overcome while he still can. Sabrina Lloyd was so good. From her opening scene where she subtly reveals her character's vulnerability and hopefulness in the start of a new relationship, to the two A.M. couch discussion where she expresses her need for added sensitivity from her boyfriend (Nate Smith) That scene and it's resolution could probably summarize the majority of successful relationships. Really good stuff. Thank you Adam Reid for your contribution. It made my day.
a study of relationships.
ksf-24 May 2024
We observe several everyday people. Neighbors, friends, blind dates, as they meet up in various ways. The one thing they all had in common was being alone. One couple meets on a dating app. An older, younger couple starts spending time together when one can't drive any longer, and the nice neighbor helps run errands. The voice-over actor decides to be more social. He calls up an old girlfriend. He tries to reunite with his daughter, and even makes buddies with the delivery guy who brings his work assignments. Some twists, turns, some challenges. Happiness, sadness. It's all life. Written and directed by adam reid. He has won a bunch of film fest awards. It's very sweet... kind of a study of human relationships.
do we choose to be alone? or are we alone due to circumstance?
cekadah27 January 2013
cannot push myself to give this 10 stars because one of the three stories was so predictable it almost ruined that slice of the movie. BUT the good news is the other two stories are completely unpredictable and will keep you watching just to see what will happen.
these three stories never cross paths but the pacing and editing make this element practically unnoticeable. it was the elderly lady (eleanor) that had me guessing as to what she was up to - did she have a plan? maybe yes, maybe no. and the young man (gordon) never did what i expected! then the recluse (bill) avoiding the world holding up in his well appointed house making everything come to him - "hello lonesome"
this is a beautifully made movie with actors that are as relaxed and real as if it's all true. this is a sure entertainment and gratifying film for people seeking 'story' and 'feeling'. please watch it - it's grand!
these three stories never cross paths but the pacing and editing make this element practically unnoticeable. it was the elderly lady (eleanor) that had me guessing as to what she was up to - did she have a plan? maybe yes, maybe no. and the young man (gordon) never did what i expected! then the recluse (bill) avoiding the world holding up in his well appointed house making everything come to him - "hello lonesome"
this is a beautifully made movie with actors that are as relaxed and real as if it's all true. this is a sure entertainment and gratifying film for people seeking 'story' and 'feeling'. please watch it - it's grand!
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