Fun Mom Dinner (2017)

The set up is fine, but then halfway through dinner the engaging conflict with outsider mom Kate promptly disappears in a whiff of marijauna smoke and we’re left with a mostly chemistry-less foursome doing some generic letting loose with no real purpose or character arcs to fulfill. There’s a good skit or two (see the weed shop stop; Melanie interrogating Alfred) but there’s also way too much Adam Levine (his whole subplot is excruciating), and the dad storyline doesn’t really work either.

2

Begin Again (2013)

A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents. (IMDb)

The slightly awkward camerawork, editing, and acting at first feel a little amateurish but quickly grow on you as the two main characters (of strikingly moving backstories) are developed (the unique flashback format is excellent), giving the film an invigorating down-to-earth, natural feel that’s perfect for its sweet streets of New York-set script about music and relationships. It gets a tad cheesy at points but mostly stays fresh, inspiring, and enjoyable–particularly for the music lover.

7.5/10 (Really Good)