Talking Tribeca: Life Partners

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 16th-27th.

Life Partners
Directed by Susanna Fogel
Festival Screenings

It’s a treat to find a festival film that stars recognizable actors who haven’t necessarily done very indie-friendly work in the past in a project that’s actually great. Leighton Meester of “Gossip Girl” and Gillian Jacobs of “Community” star as Sasha and Paige, two lifelong best friends united by their misfortune in love. That all changes, of course, when Paige meets Tim (Adam Brody) and begins what appears to be a serious relationship. Charting the ups and downs of that romance and of all of Sasha’s more fleeting partnerships is quite entertaining, and what could have been a throwaway buddy comedy is a much smarter and more mature film than one might expect. Meester, Jacobs, and Brody use their TV backgrounds to create human, flawed characters who might be exaggerated but are definitely relatable. This can’t be described as an art film and might not fit everyone’s definition of a worthy Tribeca entry, but it’s a perfectly decent and enjoyable movie.

See it or skip it? See it if you’re looking for something light that’s actually memorable and pretty funny to boot.