I saw this film at the Austin Film Festival, and was very impressed by it. This film shows a couple falling in and out of love, a story that's been told a thousand times. But this story captured the details and emotional vulnerability of a relationship.
There are always little habits and behaviors in a relationship that not only define the combined personalities, but also define the breaking point. No one wants to feel under appreciated or ignored, especially not by someone you love and trust. In a relationship, you can go in with certain expectations, but when your expectations begin to change and the relationship itself does not, it can create tension.
Initially, Sydney and Sunny are both invested in their relationship. Sydney is a struggling actor, Sunny is a struggling artist. They support each other and encourage each other in their art. Then Sunny becomes more successful with her art and begins forming friendships and connections with other artists. Naturally, Sydney gets jealous and insecure.
The interesting thing is, the more insecure Sydney gets, the more Sunny pulls away from him. She never lies to him about who she is, calling herself "horrible" because she is an only child. He clings to her with the determination of a whiny child.
It's easy to feel sorry for both of them. I feel sorry for Sydney, because he is failing at something he's been working towards his whole life. Meanwhile, his girlfriend no longer has time for him. But mostly I feel sorry for Sunny. She never pretends to enjoy coddling Sydney. She clearly does not want to be someone's cheerleader, and no matter how much Sydney complains about her, she doesn't go easy on him. It's hard when one person in the relationship is busy with their art and the other is not. It can lead any sane person to become a sniveling mess. Being an adult is difficult and I love how this film shows the hardships of adulthood and relationships.
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