Ben's at Home

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12/29/2019 Sweet indie film with some laugh out loud scenes and a great soundtrack. See more 08/01/2017 Between a 6/10 and 7/10, this is a story that can be relatable to anyone who's at a crossroad of their life and it helps to make Ben's at Home a pretty compelling coming-of-age comedy. See more 01/13/2016 Ben's At Home is about a Toronto 30-something who reviews movies and video games, who doesn't like going out and is not a huge socializer. So it's basically about me. One day he decides he's not going to go out anymore and pledges to himself to stay in, indefinitely. This being 2015, it's actually not that hard. He can order his groceries online and have them delivered. He can find dates online and invite them over and he can work from home. Initially, being a hermit in today's day and age doesn't seem like as much of a commitment as it would've in previous decades. And even when bed bugs and a subsequent evacuation force him to find other accommodations for a night, his answer is to set up a tent and 'rough it' in his backyard. Of course, this domestic bliss doesn't last forever and complications do eventually arise. He misses some important events, like a bachelor party for one of his best friends. He starts dating a nice girl but scares her off, in part because of his lifestyle and in part because he's still stinging over a bad breakup. And he eventually is forced to decide whether it's better to stay in his house for the rest of his life or have relationships with actual human beings. The film stars Dan Abramovici, who also cowrote it. Dan's written and acted in a number of interesting Canadian independent films. This is his first full length. It's also director Mars Horodyski's first full length feature. They're not newcomers and have made their bones in a number of short features, but they both do well with Ben's, as evidenced in the number of awards its won in the past year or so. The film is an easy watch and while it might start slow, it pulls you in and you'll eventually find you won't be able to turn away. It's definitely got a bit of hipster vibe, though some people take that word as an insult and that's not my intention. It's hip and quirky like all those indie's Michael Cera likes to make. Kind of Juno-ish even. Abramovici is great as Ben. He's got an easy charm about him and the right amount of wandering and wondering that a thirty something looking to find his way in the world should have. Jessica Embro, as his love interest, is great as well. She's beautiful and charming and a pleasure to watch. The idea behind the film is one that could easily have lost its steam if it was mishandled or paced improperly, but the well written script keeps the pace lively and at an hour and ten minutes it's about the perfect length. I don't know where you'll find this film outside of Toronto or when (or if) it will eventually pop up on iTunes, but if you come across it, it's worth a look. It may not be as deep or assured as the film's of Canada's current cinematic golden boy Xavier Dolan, but I see these filmmakers going far and worth keeping an eye on. See more 05/19/2015 A rare gem of constant laughter and excitement. Not only do you get the opportunity to see a wide range of characters, but you also are lead through a great storyline about love and acceptance. It is the perfect film for anyone. See more 05/19/2015 Ben's at home was a 70 minute laughing marathon. You travel with Ben through his journey of quirky characters in a way that everyone can relate to. From not wanting to run into an ex, bad online dates, and blunt relatives, this is a film to see. See more 05/19/2015 I went to see this movie, a little skeptically, to be honest. A guy who refuses to leave his house? How funny could it really be? But it really ended up pulling out all the stops. It had me laughing in a remarkably charming way that made it near impossible not to sympathize with Ben's plight. It even made me contemplate not leaving my house for a bit! It's an unforgettable movie. See more Read all reviews

Ben's at Home

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