Film Reviews

Easier With Practice

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Brian Geraghty
• Details: US / 100mins (16).

Based on a man's magazine article (and not one of those 'I always thought your letters were made up until...' ones), this mumblecore debut from Kyle Patrick Alvarez is a tender love affair between two people who never meet... until the end. Easier With Practice isn't exactly Sleepless In Seattle, though - it's a lonelier, dirtier experience.
Davy Mitchell (Geraghty, The Hurt Locker) is a writer hawking his collection of short stories on a book tour. On the road with him is his abrasive brother Sean (O'Neill) and between the long car trips and dingy motels, they are starting to get on each other's nerves. Things look up one night when Davy, alone in his room, receives a phone call from someone calling herself Nicole (Aselton) who randomly dialled his number looking for phone sex. The shy Davy thinks at first it's a prank by Sean, but Nicole adamant she's telling the truth and Davy is all too willing to indulge in her fantasies. As Davy receives more and more calls, the sexual relationship grows into something more, which is perfect for Davy as he's awkward around people - especially Samantha (Moreau) who makes it obvious she wants Davy as her boyfriend. But is fantasy better than reality?
Similar in some respects to the recent documentary Catfish – what exactly is a 'real' relationship these days? – and the romantic comedy Going The Distance – can long distance relationships really work? - Easier With Practice is an assured debut from Alvarez. Although always interesting, Easier With Practice doesn't kick on to another level when it should, as it knows that a touching and revelatory climax is lying in wait. That ending is really worth sticking around for but the build up to it can be quite monotonous, as there are only so many scenes one can watch of someone on the phone having more or less the same conversation before it gets a little samey.
What could have been delved into more are Davy's reasons behind not getting involved with the perfectly normal, and available, Samantha but Alvarez is content to deal with his relationship with Nicole. Played with a lovely restraint from Geraghty, Easier With Practice is altogether a sad, touching, pathetic and real experience and boasts a cracking indie soundtrack.

Review by Gavin Burke