Indie movies like this are definitely hit and miss. Sometimes they really work well and other times you wish you had left it where you found it. I knew A Case Of You could easily go either way. I usually enjoy Justin Long and thought this film looked like a cute and fun potential date movie for my wife and I. I am pleased to say that it was exactly that...cute and fun. It absolutely won't blow you away. It sort of floats and meanders its way along but it proudly does it and the story and budding romance is cute enough to keep you watching. It isn't slapstick funny but will absolutely make you laugh and smile at its "real life" "awkward" funny moments that Justin Long always does so well. It is sort of like watching something your friend or a good story teller is relaying to you. It feels genuine and realistic and something that both men and women can just sit back and enjoy. It is simple. There is nothing outside of the box here and it very carefully follows the tried and true romantic comedy recipe but sometimes that can be good. You know exactly what to expect and you know what you're heading into. The thing that makes A Case For You stand out is its indie quality charm.
Justin Long is absolutely perfect playing the awkward, almost brooding and incredibly sweet every man. He's done it more than once and it works perfectly well in this film. You relate to him, you understand him and he's the kind of guy you'd hang out with. As an artist/writer myself I completely related to his struggles and personality as a writer and that is great for him as an actor. Evan Rachel Wood is equally terrific as the free spirited girl of his affections. They have great, very real chemistry together. It isn't electric or overtly passionate but it feels real. Wood sort of gets stuck with the stereotypical "child of hippie" free spirit but that role suits her very well. It was kind of neat to discover Vince Vaughan appears in a very small supporting role as Long's agent. Vaughan is Vaughan so fans of his will appreciate his frenetic rants. Brendan Fraser, Sam Rockwell and Busy Philipps all make small appearances that are really quite good and absolutely add to the quirky style of the film. I also really enjoyed the role played by Keir O'Donnell as the obligatory "best friend" and room mate. He's raunchy and funny but it still suits the film and he doesn't overdo it and has good chemistry with Long. For some reason on IMDb Peter Dinklage gets top billing in the film despite having a very small role (equal or less than Vince Vaughan's who I didn't even know was in it.) Dinklage is okay but he seems to be mocking the role more than playing it and he's sort of unnecessary but definitely adds an awkwardness to his scenes.
Up and coming director Kat Coiro has a distinctive style that will be noticed with this film. I hope she keeps her indie style that makes A Case for You so endearing. I think the film is only helped by her feminine perspective. The characters are well developed, especially Long's who really does endear himself to you. Lovers of romantic comedies or drama's or someone looking for something just a little bit outside of the typical mainstream fluff that's out there should find themselves enjoying the film. While, as I said before, it won't blow you away it does really grow on you. It didn't immediately leave my mind and I'm still thinking about it and actually the more I think about it the more fond I am of the film so I absolutely recommend this for something light but perfectly enjoyable. 7/10
Justin Long is absolutely perfect playing the awkward, almost brooding and incredibly sweet every man. He's done it more than once and it works perfectly well in this film. You relate to him, you understand him and he's the kind of guy you'd hang out with. As an artist/writer myself I completely related to his struggles and personality as a writer and that is great for him as an actor. Evan Rachel Wood is equally terrific as the free spirited girl of his affections. They have great, very real chemistry together. It isn't electric or overtly passionate but it feels real. Wood sort of gets stuck with the stereotypical "child of hippie" free spirit but that role suits her very well. It was kind of neat to discover Vince Vaughan appears in a very small supporting role as Long's agent. Vaughan is Vaughan so fans of his will appreciate his frenetic rants. Brendan Fraser, Sam Rockwell and Busy Philipps all make small appearances that are really quite good and absolutely add to the quirky style of the film. I also really enjoyed the role played by Keir O'Donnell as the obligatory "best friend" and room mate. He's raunchy and funny but it still suits the film and he doesn't overdo it and has good chemistry with Long. For some reason on IMDb Peter Dinklage gets top billing in the film despite having a very small role (equal or less than Vince Vaughan's who I didn't even know was in it.) Dinklage is okay but he seems to be mocking the role more than playing it and he's sort of unnecessary but definitely adds an awkwardness to his scenes.
Up and coming director Kat Coiro has a distinctive style that will be noticed with this film. I hope she keeps her indie style that makes A Case for You so endearing. I think the film is only helped by her feminine perspective. The characters are well developed, especially Long's who really does endear himself to you. Lovers of romantic comedies or drama's or someone looking for something just a little bit outside of the typical mainstream fluff that's out there should find themselves enjoying the film. While, as I said before, it won't blow you away it does really grow on you. It didn't immediately leave my mind and I'm still thinking about it and actually the more I think about it the more fond I am of the film so I absolutely recommend this for something light but perfectly enjoyable. 7/10