STARRING
Emilyrose Morris, Dina Freberg, Morris Jude Martinez, Onrico Nightingale, Jeff K. Kim, Bianca Muller, Kalinda Gray, Sophie Jordan Collins, Yakov Kolontarov, Erin Zukowski, Kurt Maloney, Rebel Arent, MarkAnthony Melgar, Liesel Hanson, Cashae Monya, Adam Chisnall, Darren Shin, Lauren Lakis, Katie Ghidossi, Vince Donvito, Josetta Monk, Meagan McKenna, Marcus A Siler, Bruna Fachetti, Ivo Muller, Sammy Espinoza WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY
Miguel Muller, Stefania Vasconcellos MPAA RATING
NR RUNNING TIME
83 Mins. DISTRIBUTED BY
Prisma Films OFFICIAL IMDB
Movie Review: Nobody Wants to be Just Ordinary
It's true. Isn't it?
Nobody wants to be just ordinary.
Written and directed by Miguel Muller and Stefania Vasconcellos, Nobody Wants to Be Just Ordinary captures the vitality of the creative spirit, the frustrations of what it means to give yourself completely to something only to see it not work, and the fierce determination that often fuels those who aspire to lives in the arts. Filmed in black-and-white, this 83-minute grounded comedy benefits from a diverse ensemble cast that feels natural and honest in bringing to life the narrative of different indie artists circling around the Hollywood film industry whose lives intersect when they tire of failing and have the opportunity to make a "promising" feature film.
Muller and Vasconcellos do a nice job here of capturing both the individuality and isolation along with the intersection that creates some semblance of hope for that breakthrough that every artist strives to achieve. Nobody Wants to Be Just Ordinary is a humorous yet realistic story of intersecting lives, an impossibly large ensemble somehow making sense amidst the chaos and uncertainty of what is Hollywood filmmaking. An aspiring writer frustratingly seeks support for her indie film project, an effort that goes uncomfortably and laughably at times as feedback is given and opinions vary. Costumed characters make a living anyway they can, an effort matched by a young stand-up comic whose audiences are, well, kind of sad.
There are others. Quite a few others.
The film is beautifully photographed by Muller with particularly effective performances by Adam Chisnall, Sophie Jordan Collins, Dina Freberg, and Cashae Monya among others. Truthfully, this is an effective ensemble for bringing this low-budget indie to life.
There's never really a doubt that Nobody Wants to Be Just Ordinary is a low-budget film, however, Muller and Vasconcellos impressively bring it all to life and create a meaningful, well told story. Released by indie distributor Prisma Films, this is a film worth checking out for those who will resonate with its humorous yet pointed commentary.
