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In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2008)
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Reviews Counted:57
Fresh:48
Rotten:9
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: Funny, quirky, and bittersweet, In Search of a Midnight Kiss is a romantic comedy with a heart and a brain -- and stands as a sharp debut for director Alex Holdridge.
Theatrical Release:Aug 1, 2008 Limited
Synopsis: If Woody Allen had been in his 20s in Los Angeles in the new millennium, he might have made IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS. This ode to technology-fueled romance and indie filmmaking features some of... If Woody Allen had been in his 20s in Los Angeles in the new millennium, he might have made IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS. This ode to technology-fueled romance and indie filmmaking features some of the hallmarks of Allen's early career: a neurotic and lonely "hero," an unhinged but nevertheless attractive love interest, witty dialogue, and black-and-white cinematography. As New Year's Eve approaches, Wilson (Scoot McNairy) is close to age 30 and far from where he wants to be in life. And if it weren't for the efforts of his roommate Jacob (Brian McGuire), he might be content to spend the holiday alone on his couch. But with some prompting, Wilson posts a personal ad on the online site Craig's List, which leads him to a date with Vivian (Sara Simmonds). The seemingly mismatched pair wanders the streets of Los Angeles as midnight--and the possibility of a kiss--approaches. Fans of earnest indie romances such as BEFORE SUNRISE and ONCE will find it hard not to fall in love with IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS. There's an honesty here that is immediately appealing, and it's easy to identify with the film's mix of romantic cynicism and hope. Director Alex Holdridge (SEXLESS) has created a film that lacks the sheen and shimmer of Hollywood romantic comedies, and the audience is the lucky beneficiary of this heartfelt gift. [More]
Starring: Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire, Katy Luong
Starring: Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire, Katy Luong, Bret Roberts, Twink Caplan, Robert Murphy, Nic Harcourt
Director: Alex Holdridge
Director: Alex Holdridge
Screenwriter: Alex Holdridge
Producer: Seth Caplan, Scoot McNairy
Studio: IFC First Take
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Reviews for In Search of a Midnight Kiss
Holdridge's film is painfully undermined by its central characters.
She’s all long blond hair and cigarettes; he’s scruffy and affable. But they’re no Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy; the dynamic between the pair is often flat.
There is no magic here. This is not Paris, these are not Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, and Holdridge's script does not give us a reason to care what happens to these characters.
Holdridge shows talent, as do his leads, but along with money for popcorn, bring patience.
A visually stunning love letter to the much-maligned city...It's when the actors open their mouths that I start to have a problem.
If it were a parody of relationship-youth pictures, In Search of a Midnight Kiss would maybe be tolerable, but writer-director Alex Holdridge seems to be playing it with a straight face.
The leaps of faith Midnight Kiss demands are many. Among them: If Vivian acts the way she does on their arranged date, why does Wilson worry about impressing her, even for a second, even on New Year's Eve?
The confluence of events allows the film to arrive somewhere that may not be original, but feels honest...at other times, the film seems to be chasing the same old indie dragon of quirky escapades that can be shot on the cheap.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss overcomes patches of overwriting to end up as a film well worth watching, and Mr. Holdridge as a writer-director to be remembered for future reference.
To praise the beauty of this film is not enough; what lends it tension is that it’s wrapped around people for whom beauty is at best an anachronism and at worst an embarrassing joke.
A naturalistic mix of vulgarity and romanticism gives this independent effort a mainstream appeal.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss gets L.A. like few films do. And writer-director Holdridge understands the aspiring, disappointed but still open-to-anything crowd on the fringes of show business quite persuasively.
Obviously heavily influenced by the likes of Swingers and Before Sunrise, it nevertheless manages to find its own voice, combining sentiment with cynicism to create a very modern romantic comedy.
How incongruous that while veteran studio heads prepare slates of comic book movies, the slackers behind this $12,000 gem have made one of the most mature films of the year.
Midnight Kiss is one of those movies that gradually charms the viewer into strong identification with initially off-putting characters.
By the end, Holdridge has captured the bittersweet complexities of romance with a wisdom that proves surprisingly seductive.
Latest News for In Search of a Midnight Kiss
August 11, 2008:
Lonely hearts rendezvous on New Year's Eve in offbeat romantic comedy. ![]()
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August 01, 2008:
Alex Holdridge Is In Search of a Midnight Kiss ![]()
Just in time for the limited release of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, indieWIRE has posted its profile of director Alex Holdridge -- including a look at the strong similarities... More...
June 29, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review ![]()
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June 12, 2008:
Crafting a Midnight Kiss - Behind-the-Scenes of a Lo-Fi Indie
It brought audiences to tears at Tribeca, kept them coming back at Edinburgh and warmed stone-cold critics' hearts at Raindance. In Search of a Midnight Kiss was described as... More...
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