Fifteen minutes into the movie and I wanted to turned it off, but then decided to continue. What turned me off initially was the appearing "falkeness" of the characters. Then I decided it was intentional, it was a sarcastic portrayal of an average American couple (s) . An intentional exaggeration. Their empty conversations and dialogues were dismal and their bickering annoying, in my opinion. Then it became more interesting as the movie progressed. Some of the male actors were miscast. None of them looked much older than 26 years old Brad, however they were talking about themselves as if they were over 40 or approaching. The acting was just OK.
13 Reviews
Well worth a watch
Phil_Chester25 March 2020
Stop lying.
mattfrancis-6025421 October 2023
You can relate to these couples? No you can't. Maybe in the sense of unfulfilled expectations and getting your head filled full of negative energy by your girl mates on a night out, but you can't relate. Real couples issues aren't what you see here.
From the off set, a few ordinary people that either have kids or write for a living (which is of course not going to happen much at all) join up with friends in a huge house. What does that house have? Yep this is America so it has to have a pool right. With some awful comedy thrown in. I mean, come on. Get real. This isn't real life this is spoilt entitled L. A people wanting more and more and showboating. That's what Americans like to do here in films, show boat. It's so boring now. You've no idea what the real world is like and that's clear.
After some average quite forged chemistry between the friends, there's plenty of cringe dialogue. Some people get to a certain age and panic but also girls get together and chat in a dreamy state of wanting to be desired and have approval from strangers and boys get together and talk about thinking they can bang any girl. Then, they play what I assume is a teenager game which can have a bad effect on their lives. That's basically it.
I mean come on. This isn't good. This had potential. But is a complete and utter total mess. Cringe after cringe. Don't encourage these women. Notice how the men didn't want this game to take place but the women did. With one claiming she didn't want to play but then not so subtly manipulating her husband to play along? Yep, that's women of today. Right here.
From the off set, a few ordinary people that either have kids or write for a living (which is of course not going to happen much at all) join up with friends in a huge house. What does that house have? Yep this is America so it has to have a pool right. With some awful comedy thrown in. I mean, come on. Get real. This isn't real life this is spoilt entitled L. A people wanting more and more and showboating. That's what Americans like to do here in films, show boat. It's so boring now. You've no idea what the real world is like and that's clear.
After some average quite forged chemistry between the friends, there's plenty of cringe dialogue. Some people get to a certain age and panic but also girls get together and chat in a dreamy state of wanting to be desired and have approval from strangers and boys get together and talk about thinking they can bang any girl. Then, they play what I assume is a teenager game which can have a bad effect on their lives. That's basically it.
I mean come on. This isn't good. This had potential. But is a complete and utter total mess. Cringe after cringe. Don't encourage these women. Notice how the men didn't want this game to take place but the women did. With one claiming she didn't want to play but then not so subtly manipulating her husband to play along? Yep, that's women of today. Right here.
Delightfully Interesting
karaoketom6 June 2022
Kind of a different theme.
Until this movie I don't recall ever hearing of 7 minutes in Heaven before.
For such a low budget, I think this movie holds up real well. Acting was not bad.
Storyline was carrying but not riveting.
Watching the credits it seems there has to have been well over one hundred people who put this film together.
With an estimated budget of $50k I'm astounded how little pay everyone must have made.
Anyone know if this was ever at the theaters or dvd or straight to TV?
Until this movie I don't recall ever hearing of 7 minutes in Heaven before.
For such a low budget, I think this movie holds up real well. Acting was not bad.
Storyline was carrying but not riveting.
Watching the credits it seems there has to have been well over one hundred people who put this film together.
With an estimated budget of $50k I'm astounded how little pay everyone must have made.
Anyone know if this was ever at the theaters or dvd or straight to TV?
Yikes....
JuMarFr2 September 2020
If possible, the obvious 0 chemistry between any of the actors is made worse by their stuffy, dull scripts and lack of talent.
Feels very awkward the whole way through... Like a parody of every rom com but without any genuinely funny moments.
Don't waste your hours on this one.
Feels very awkward the whole way through... Like a parody of every rom com but without any genuinely funny moments.
Don't waste your hours on this one.
Keeps Losing Momentum
mcjensen-0592414 November 2023
Definitely an attractive cast. Too bad the dialogue is horrendous. There are times when things get rolling all right then some couple lapses into an absolutely inane discussion or argument that defies any conceibable logic. I like movies that are driven by dialogue between friends in one location but it's a tricky business. For some reason all the men are petty or outright insulting idiots and the women are craving more. The portrayals are absurd and unfortunately. So are the scenarior. The game itself was a good idea and twist and probided some moments of genuine emotion and levity. But overall it failed. I made it to the end. I actually watched it twice as movies of this type require that so nothing gets missed. Twenty minutes could have easily been trimmed off of this.
Clinically bad
wwfyfusu17 May 2022
I'd like the person who greenlit this movie. I'd also like to meet the director or producer who didn't end the production shortly into principal photography. It is bad. Badly written, terribly cast, horribly acted. There is nothing redeeming about this. It's not compelling. It's the inside the mind of some insecure yuppy's late night anxiety attack. This is clearly bad.
My wife and I loved it and could relate to the couples
kmakenas24 January 2018
Personally I truly enjoyed the movie, as each couple reminded of friends. The four couples are at a different point in their lives: one couple is childless, one has been married a while and has two young children, one of the couples is trying to get pregnant, and another has a young son and is going through a divorce.
The movie touches on many different topics that couples talk about in real life, including sex. When the men and women hang out away from each other, the conversations get more interesting, especially when each camp talks about their spouses. Things are disclosed that may have the audience scratching their heads, wondering if that's what's going on in their own relationship. Like, when the women tell their girlfriend her husband is amazing, she says she would never reveal that to him, because she's afraid it'd give him too much power! And when the women talk about their sex lives, you sigh in relief, knowing it's not just you experiencing what they describe. Fun is poked at both genders and everyone in the group even rips on themselves a bit, making the characters genuine and fun to watch.
They all decided to spend the night, which means they can drink more. To make it even more interesting, Michelle suggests they play Seven Minutes in Heaven, in which each person draws a name and gets to spend seven minutes in a closet with that person, kissing or doing whatever they want. A few are reluctant, but eventually they end up going along with it, since everyone else is. To insure no one discusses the game afterward, they all sign an agreement. When they start to play, it's a bit nerve-wracking for them, wondering who they will be matched up with and what will happen in the closet. While in the closet, some talk, some get right to the making out, and some find it comfortable and safe enough to disclose personal details about their relationships.
Overall, the movie is quite entertaining due to the excellent acting, intriguing story, and the interesting and comical dialogue, which includes lines like, "Rich people have problems, too. They have to worry about guests ejaculating on their wallpaper." If you're married, engaged, divorced you definitely will enjoy this movie!
The movie touches on many different topics that couples talk about in real life, including sex. When the men and women hang out away from each other, the conversations get more interesting, especially when each camp talks about their spouses. Things are disclosed that may have the audience scratching their heads, wondering if that's what's going on in their own relationship. Like, when the women tell their girlfriend her husband is amazing, she says she would never reveal that to him, because she's afraid it'd give him too much power! And when the women talk about their sex lives, you sigh in relief, knowing it's not just you experiencing what they describe. Fun is poked at both genders and everyone in the group even rips on themselves a bit, making the characters genuine and fun to watch.
They all decided to spend the night, which means they can drink more. To make it even more interesting, Michelle suggests they play Seven Minutes in Heaven, in which each person draws a name and gets to spend seven minutes in a closet with that person, kissing or doing whatever they want. A few are reluctant, but eventually they end up going along with it, since everyone else is. To insure no one discusses the game afterward, they all sign an agreement. When they start to play, it's a bit nerve-wracking for them, wondering who they will be matched up with and what will happen in the closet. While in the closet, some talk, some get right to the making out, and some find it comfortable and safe enough to disclose personal details about their relationships.
Overall, the movie is quite entertaining due to the excellent acting, intriguing story, and the interesting and comical dialogue, which includes lines like, "Rich people have problems, too. They have to worry about guests ejaculating on their wallpaper." If you're married, engaged, divorced you definitely will enjoy this movie!
Absolutely horrible
ayatejonoon31 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Hated everything about it except acting crew being cute. Developed the story fairly well but half way through the movie it started to get annoying and unreasonable. It ended just horrible though. "I want to get you back although I both cheated on you and stranded you and our child" but it's fine, just tense up! "sorry if you didn't fully enjoy yourself when you were cheating on me", a smile, and yeah, let's kiss!!! He's successful, so he has to take lots of pills because he can't control the pressure being successful and wealthy has towards him. OMG I cannot believe I watched it fully. Antonio Banderas quote was the cherry on top of this cake. Well done Ms. Daniels, well done. On top of the cherry, the production was even worse. Especially the sound. very poor editing job Mr. Barnoski! So many editing assitantship in your resume but it's what you do as an editor. Horrendous cuts, noise on the sound, etc. The last two Sequences (night after making out and morning) can become the two worst sequence of all times. Easily.
Charming and life learning
s-bannerman1221 September 2016
What a charming film What Other Couples Do is. I watched this film on Amazon Video and knew nothing about it beforehand but pressed play anyways. Four Couples attend a dinner party and whilst the plot summary does talk about them all playing "Seven Minutes In Heaven' (a kissing in a cupboard game) The film is actually more about us observing the couples not only interact with the other couples, but its also about watching them interact with themselves. Anyone who is in a relationship will be able to see themselves in some or one of these couples. So if you are feeling like you need to make some changes in your life or just sort your brain out. What Other Couples Do is a great indie film that will give you food for thought. It also kind of works as a grown up version of The Breakfast Club. A set of people all in a single place for a given time and will they learn any lessons or come out worse than they were before they entered? Great film!
Charming and honest
deborah-voorhees196122 March 2014
Four couples come together for a dinner at their wealthy friends' home and daringly decide to play "Seven Minutes in Heaven," risking ripping their relationships a part. Most the action, in "What Other Couples Do", takes place at this single location, but director and writer Courtney Daniels keeps the action going with witty dialogue and compelling characters. Daniels brings out the comedy in the relationships between men and women without losing the emotional honesty. It's the kind of movie that makes you think and want to chat about it afterward because some how it manages to be about every relationship. This indie film is well worth watching.
Creative and hilarious portrayal of dating and married life!
mxsander14 June 2021
This was a gem of a film. I laughed at the snarky script, the couples felt real and their problems were relatable. Unique premise with a kissing game for couples in their mid 30s being a catalyst to real soul searching realizations. Shot beautifully, great soundtrack and the actors were wonderful. Will watch again!
Personal and insightful
cbddbc16 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Like some others I found this while flipping through the available Amazon Prime videos... and I also found it delightful and insightful as I've had some of those conversations, too.
My kissing games, unfortunately, never ended with sex with my spouse, nor reconciliation. One would think that I would have been able to handle monogamy on the third attempt.
I didn't know what to expect from this movie, but I guess that I found it highly personal and terribly insightful. I've had those friends and, with a little too much wine, had the friend's wives that wanted me, too. Sometimes it was okay, but sometimes friendships and marriages were destroyed.
The screenplay, the acting and the direction is brilliant. And if you're in that 32-34 age group you'll recognize yourself in many of the characters. It's a shame that this wasn't a hit film... so much more than "The Big Chill." More realistic. More personal.
Ah, let the spoilers begin!
As wayward and screwed up as it may sound, I think that Bree is the most enlightened of any other single character. Her observation that "little white lies" can keep monogamous relationships afloat is spot-on. Looking back, had I kept many things unsaid I think that my relationships may have lasted longer, at least. I was too quick to be honest, too fast to share intimacies and it's only now that I realize that honesty in a relationship needs to be tempered, that holding back and telling the white lies is exactly what's required in a relationship.
Ryan and Bree have, it seems, the best marriage of the lot. And maybe Bree's observance is the lesson that should be taken away from the movie, the thing to be pondered.
Those of us of a certain age know these couples, and we've heard the dialogue from others. We know the woman who feels overwhelmed by motherhood and, yet, holds her children dear. She wants acknowledgment and appreciation and some help in parenting. And she really is the one who could be open for anything.
We know the woman who is belittled, whose husband lacks respect for the end of the bargain that she maintains. We feel so sorry for her each time her spouse is dismissive.
We know the Gingers, and how much they have been hurt and the Ginger portrayed in the film really isn't like the Ginger that we know - she wouldn't take her cheating husband back so quickly, particularly throwing a 10-year-old son into the mix: She would be careful so that her son would realize that cheating and leaving is not just something that men do.
The women are the most interesting characters, slightly stereotypical but with their twists. Brad is the least interesting character; followed by the equally boring Chris. Josh could be an obsessive Silicon Valley type, but he's an obsessive L.A. type and even the guy with the most screen time - Dave - is a vague shadow. Everyone wants to be Ryan although all of the women want Dave (for reasons that I can't fathom).
We know the women better than we know the couples because the men aren't too well represented here. That's okay, though. It's certainly possible that the women are more interesting than their spouses. Or that we know Michelle but have trouble identifying with Ryan, a stand-up comic(?).
Two things you should know before watching this movie:
The photo that is in place where a poster or DVD cover might go insinuates that there's a lot of sex in the film. And the 'also liked' films are for trashy sex films. No sex here, no nudity, nothing. Not a proverbial 'chick flick' but more of a couples film. Maybe. Who am I to judge?
You may not find the observation by Bree to be as thought-provoking as I did. I've never been in a long-term relationship. I only learned recently that honesty is disastrous for marriages. Find your wife's co-worker hot? Don't tell your wife! That mind-blowing sex that you had with a previous love? The same things that you'd like your wife to try? Keep it to yourself.
Lie when sex is the subject. Lie when you find Matt Damon attractive. Small white lies really aren't necessary, but maybe a little less honesty would be good? I'm the poster boy for the schlub thinking that honesty and intimacy were good things. My (last) ex-wife told me of a type of sex that she had with an old boyfriend - someone that she still socialized with and someone who became my friend, too. She didn't ask for a re-enactment, and my approach would have been very different than that which she experienced. I was baffled by what she shared. She wasn't the honest type, and I only found out years later that she would have found my approach strange and repugnant.
It's possible that this film has sex at the center. I'll need to think on that - maybe watch the movie again. Dave and Michelle seem to solve their problems with a short conversation and a night of sex - I found that ludicrous, one of two misguided scenarios in the film.
I highly recommend this movie.
My kissing games, unfortunately, never ended with sex with my spouse, nor reconciliation. One would think that I would have been able to handle monogamy on the third attempt.
I didn't know what to expect from this movie, but I guess that I found it highly personal and terribly insightful. I've had those friends and, with a little too much wine, had the friend's wives that wanted me, too. Sometimes it was okay, but sometimes friendships and marriages were destroyed.
The screenplay, the acting and the direction is brilliant. And if you're in that 32-34 age group you'll recognize yourself in many of the characters. It's a shame that this wasn't a hit film... so much more than "The Big Chill." More realistic. More personal.
Ah, let the spoilers begin!
As wayward and screwed up as it may sound, I think that Bree is the most enlightened of any other single character. Her observation that "little white lies" can keep monogamous relationships afloat is spot-on. Looking back, had I kept many things unsaid I think that my relationships may have lasted longer, at least. I was too quick to be honest, too fast to share intimacies and it's only now that I realize that honesty in a relationship needs to be tempered, that holding back and telling the white lies is exactly what's required in a relationship.
Ryan and Bree have, it seems, the best marriage of the lot. And maybe Bree's observance is the lesson that should be taken away from the movie, the thing to be pondered.
Those of us of a certain age know these couples, and we've heard the dialogue from others. We know the woman who feels overwhelmed by motherhood and, yet, holds her children dear. She wants acknowledgment and appreciation and some help in parenting. And she really is the one who could be open for anything.
We know the woman who is belittled, whose husband lacks respect for the end of the bargain that she maintains. We feel so sorry for her each time her spouse is dismissive.
We know the Gingers, and how much they have been hurt and the Ginger portrayed in the film really isn't like the Ginger that we know - she wouldn't take her cheating husband back so quickly, particularly throwing a 10-year-old son into the mix: She would be careful so that her son would realize that cheating and leaving is not just something that men do.
The women are the most interesting characters, slightly stereotypical but with their twists. Brad is the least interesting character; followed by the equally boring Chris. Josh could be an obsessive Silicon Valley type, but he's an obsessive L.A. type and even the guy with the most screen time - Dave - is a vague shadow. Everyone wants to be Ryan although all of the women want Dave (for reasons that I can't fathom).
We know the women better than we know the couples because the men aren't too well represented here. That's okay, though. It's certainly possible that the women are more interesting than their spouses. Or that we know Michelle but have trouble identifying with Ryan, a stand-up comic(?).
Two things you should know before watching this movie:
The photo that is in place where a poster or DVD cover might go insinuates that there's a lot of sex in the film. And the 'also liked' films are for trashy sex films. No sex here, no nudity, nothing. Not a proverbial 'chick flick' but more of a couples film. Maybe. Who am I to judge?
You may not find the observation by Bree to be as thought-provoking as I did. I've never been in a long-term relationship. I only learned recently that honesty is disastrous for marriages. Find your wife's co-worker hot? Don't tell your wife! That mind-blowing sex that you had with a previous love? The same things that you'd like your wife to try? Keep it to yourself.
Lie when sex is the subject. Lie when you find Matt Damon attractive. Small white lies really aren't necessary, but maybe a little less honesty would be good? I'm the poster boy for the schlub thinking that honesty and intimacy were good things. My (last) ex-wife told me of a type of sex that she had with an old boyfriend - someone that she still socialized with and someone who became my friend, too. She didn't ask for a re-enactment, and my approach would have been very different than that which she experienced. I was baffled by what she shared. She wasn't the honest type, and I only found out years later that she would have found my approach strange and repugnant.
It's possible that this film has sex at the center. I'll need to think on that - maybe watch the movie again. Dave and Michelle seem to solve their problems with a short conversation and a night of sex - I found that ludicrous, one of two misguided scenarios in the film.
I highly recommend this movie.
See also
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