Breaking Upwards

Review

Daryl Wein’s first narrative feature film, Breaking Upwards, is a romantic comedy that follows the mishaps of two young New Yorkers. After being together for four years, their relationship is at a turning point. The couple struggles together throughout the film to either make the relationship work, or subconsciously strategize their own break-up. The film, loosely based on the filmmakers’ real relationship, takes place in a world of twenty-somethings that is reminiscent of the mumblecore films coming out of Brooklyn in the last decade or so. However, Wein makes it his case to stand apart from the almost predictable “mumblecorps”.

The two leads, Daryl and Zoe, basically play themselves, as the film’s story is based on their real life relationship. This kind of thing tends to make me nervous a bit — like how Woody Allen always casts himself to basically play himself. It can easily turn self-indulgent. Thankfully, Breaking Upwards is different. There is something very likable about Daryl and Zoe. They are attractive, they are funny, self-deprecating, if not somewhat emotionally stunted, but they are charming! This is a big deal and helped make the film work. Everybody else in the film is also really good. Olivia Thirlby makes a small, cute, but forgettable appearance. But I have to give kudos to both Andrea Martin and Julie White who play the leads’ respective mothers, they easily have the funniest lines in the film. Throughout the film, you kind of have the feeling that the cast gets along with each other or they are friends that hang out together all the time or something.

The writing in Breaking Upwards is pretty great. I was surprised to find out that most of it was scripted, although there are expected bits of improv. Wein and his co-writers, Peter Duchan and Zoe Lister-Jones, have managed to capture banter and conversations that are natural, smart and witty too. The characters of the film are intelligent and hyper-aware of their emotions, and for the most part of the film they don’t even really flinch when presented by a possible stress to their feelings. But it’s the deadpan self-deprecation, matter of fact, overly articulate tone that made the film charming and relevant. I personally feel that the relationship portrayed in Breaking Upwards is one of the most realistic ones I’ve seen in a while (another notable one is in Baumbach’s Greenberg). The interaction is complex and layered with moments of emotional overdrive, but it’s also restrained while at the same time unpredictable. It really does feel real. The lingo in the film kind of reminds me of Juno. But unlike Diablo Cody’s try hard, I actually kind of get the references in Breaking Upwards. I mean, I am a twenty-something living in New York, so that would make sense. After the film, a friend of mine asked me, however, whether somebody who is not twenty-something and familiar with New York or just the current youth culture would have the same connection with the film. This is true. The film is very specific in its audience, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad thing. After all, Breaking Upwards is an indie. It is definitely easier to reach an audience when you reach to a specific one instead of trying to please everybody.

From my interview, it is clear that Wein really wanted to stand apart from the mumblecore label. It is completely understandable since most of the films coming out of the genre have such negative connotations associated with them. Aside from the story and characters themselves, Wein wanted the film to be visually different than most of the mumblecore films. He certainly has achieved that, but I’m not quite sure whether or not it is a success. Wein shot the film with a long time friend and collaborator, Alex Burgman, who also shot Wein’s documentary Sex Positive. In our conversation, Wein mentioned that he wanted the lighting in the film to be evident. But the problem that I have with this is it’s too evident. The contrasty, gritty look that the film has presents us with an interesting juxtaposition to the film’s quirky tone. But it is so stylized, or even sloppy at times, that it constantly tugs at me, taking me out of the film. Wein did not want the film to look too “low-budget” like the mumblecores, but I think there is a critical line that was crossed in this film. While Wein wanted production value to be apparent in his film, I think he and Bergman forgot that sometimes less can be more. There are times where I just find the lighting in the film to be unrefined and too much. It feels too forced and not right — a total opposite of the writing and acting in the film. It is as if he was too focused on making the film look bigger in scale and missing out on what would actually work with the narrative.

Wein is really perceptive of the modern human interaction and how they deal with their feelings — I give him that. However, while his ability to work with plot and characters is remarkable, I wish he’d spent more care with the more technical side of the film. That doesn’t mean that you should not see this film though.

Wein and Lister-Jones live in the same independent spirit that has propelled Aronofsky to his current stature. While Breaking Upwards ultimately feels like a lukewarm experience for me, I would keep an eye out for what comes next.

Oh, I personally think his short, Unlocked, is fucking amazing. You should definitely look it up on his website.

Breaking Upwards is currently playing at the IFC Theater, NY.

Originally written for IN*TANDEM Magazine.