People Places Things (2015)

July 3, 2016 9:54 AM

Will Henry (Jemaine Clement) is a newly single graphic novelist balancing parenting his young twin daughters and a classroom full of students, while exploring and navigating the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. (Trailer)
posted by filthy light thief (6 comments total)

I saw this on Netflix after Stuck In Love, and it was an interesting experience of contrasts. Two indie films about families going through divorce, both featuring writers and comics, but this one was so. much. better.

First, I'm a huge fan of Jemaine, but this wasn't The Jemaine Show. Stephanie Allynne (Charlie) made me feel sorry for the state of their relationship in her role as the provider with no one to provide for her. Regina Hall (Diane) was great as a woman who found self confidence in the dating scene, and Jessica Williams (Kat) was good as the teenager who could cut to the core of issues.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:06 AM on July 3, 2016

I was glad Jemaine finally got a leading man role. It seems like he has been stuck playing ugly people, weirdos, and villains every time he shows up, and that made me sad because he was a really great actor in Flight of the Conchords. He has a really subtly expressive face and I wanted more of that. I was a little disappointed in this movie though. I really want him to be great in a great movie and this wasn't it.
posted by bleep at 10:55 AM on July 3, 2016

I wish Charlie had felt more like a developed character. Like, I get the whole idea of a woman feeling like she didn't get to live her own life because she was supporting her partner's ambitions. But to me, she just came across as so shrill and selfish about it.

Clement is a sweetie in this. He deserves a better movie, but I thought he was a delight in this.

Jessica Williams is a joy in this, though, and I love so much that a young woman of color gets to be the "future" of comics. Also, all the comics stuff in this is pretty accurate, surprisingly. It's definitely not perfect on that account but much of it is close to reality.
posted by darksong at 9:38 AM on July 4, 2016

I want this to play out as a prequel to Gentlemen Broncos.
posted by rhizome at 6:47 PM on July 5, 2016

I love this little film: I've watched it half a dozen times, and I find it nearly perfect.
posted by growabrain at 7:05 PM on October 21, 2018

and i'm going to watch it again now
posted by growabrain at 5:21 AM on May 16, 2020