Sometimes a movie you've never heard of comes out of nowhere and grabs your attention because it is just too entertaining to ignore. In the last few years, movies like "The Hangover" and "Bridesmaids" have come along and dominated the box office while redefining what a comedy can be. "For A Good Time, Call..." does a great job at exploring new territory while maintaining a great sense of nostalgia and familiarity.
At the beginning of the movie we are introduced to Lauren Powell (Lauren Miller) and Katie Steel (Ari Graynor) who each find their lives turned upside down and in need of a new living situation. Long time mutual friend Jesse (Justin Long) decides to bring the pair together as roommates even though he knows they have hated each other for years.
Left with no other option, the two women reluctantly join forces to share a living space and expenses and are soon surprised at how easily they are able to get along. Lauren is also surprised to find out that Katie is working for a phone sex line and, after a job opportunity falls through, she convinces her new roommate that they should go in to business for themselves rather than working for another company.
Thus begins a journey of budding friendship, reluctant romance, learning about honesty and trust, and realizing that sometimes you need to push your boundaries to discover who you really are.
I would have to say the main thing that makes this movie work is how vividly aware of itself it is. There is no getting around the fact that this is a raunchy comedy that revolves around phone sex and there is no shortage of hilarious dialog that will keep you laughing from start to finish. That being said, I never felt like it was going too far or delving too deep in to bathroom humor just for the sake of going there.
Jamie Travis, in directing his first major feature, is able to bring so much heart and genuine emotion to the movie and you really feel like you are right there in the apartment with the girls as they are going through their ups and downs. Lauren Miller and Ari Graynor are perfectly cast, which makes even sense when you learn that Miller is a co-writer along with long time best friend Katie Anne Naylon.
During a post screening Q&A featuring Travis, Naylon, Miller, and Graynor, they all agreed how their movie hearkens back to 1980's comedies that featured strong female actresses like Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler. I would have to agree with this assessment as these days you rarely see such fully realized female personalities regardless of the type of movie being made. The two ladies in this film are delightful together on the screen and really bring home a movie that, for a while, I thought might end up being just another average and forgettable film.
This picture of me surrounded by the stars of the movie, Ari Graynor and Lauren Miller, was taken right after the screening and Q&A. They were just as fun in person as they were on the screen and it was great to see them spend so much time with the audience when they could have easily said thanks and went on their way.
The trailer below is a Red Band trailer which means it has bad words and stuff. Please only view it if you are over the age of 18.
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