Chance (2002) User Reviews

Good Indy film

[stewate4 · 8/10 · 24 September 2004]

Finally picked up a copy of the DVD, as I'd heard about the film and was curious to see Amber Benson's work. I won't go into the plot beyond saying it's a comedy/drama based around the two main characters, Chance and her friend Simon. Like many Indy films it's a bit rough around the edges, but I enjoyed it a lot. Unlike some of the other reviews I thought the acting was for the most part good, particularly the two lead roles, Amber Benson as Chance, and James Marsters as her friend Simon, with interesting characters and story.

Having said that I can understand why other people wouldn't like it, especially if they are only used to seeing typical Hollywood style films or are expecting the stars to reprise their Buffy roles. Indy film fans, or people who like character based films are more likely to be won over.

Anyway, I'm giving it 8/10 as I liked it a lot.

Quirky Comedy Hits Home!

[billqs · 8/10 · 27 September 2002]

I was lucky enough to catch "Chance" when it played at Birmingham's Sidewalk Film Festival. Being a "Buffy" fan I was very familiar with Amber Benson, James Marsters, and Andy Hallet's work for Mutant Enemy. I was hoping for the best, but not sure what to expect.

I came away very satisfied. Chance is a very quirky, very funny movie that is only too accurate in its description of the modern dating scene. Amber's acting ability is easily able to carry as the star of a feature length film. She has great chemistry with James Marsters, who can change from hilarious to poignant at the drop of a hat. Seeing them together in this film makes me wish Joss Whedon had made more use of these two together when both were on "Buffy".

I was startled at the difference between the character Chance with her frank sexuality and all things "alpha", and the sweet, somewhat demure personality that Benson displays on Internet forums and in public appearances. It's good to see Amber playing against type to great effect.

The script is a little on the short side, but this just keeps the film from getting bogged down. There is a lot of shifting of time and space, story within a story, flashbacks, etc., which the brevity of the film keeps from becoming too confusing. The script is very witty and it is readily apparent that the actress is also an accomplished writer.

Now all that we can do is hope that the film secures a distribution deal so that everyone can get the CHANCE to see it (sorry for the bad pun!)

Fuzzy and funny

[voss-9 · 8/10 · 6 December 2003]

Real nice movie! Funny and tender. Amber and James are so great! There is not so much plot, but people are very lovely. The direction is a little bit too much like a TV episode, but it's not a big deal: it's a chamber story. Anyway, often the use of the camera tells a lot about the character of the people on screen.

Wow....

[mickys_frodis · 7 March 2004]

To sum up this review, you HAVE to see this film. From start to finish it is 75mins of pure comedic joy. I had to buy a signed photo from the movie from Benson Entertainment to get the DVD as they still haven't got backing to release it yet. This is a terrible shame because Amber Benson is an amazing writer/director/actor and her film should be out on the market for people to see. The film also stars James Marsters (Spike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer) who plays Chance's (Amber Benson) best friend, Simon. The two characters ooze chemistry on screen and dialogue that passes between is nothing short of brilliant. Whether you are a Buffy fan or not, this film is definitely worth a look.

Worth buying...

[Sisiutil · 9/10 · 18 April 2004]

...because, unfortunately, that's probably the only way you'll see it--by buying it on DVD. The film deserved a broader distribution; pity it didn't get it.

Amber Benson may just be a female Kevin Smith--what a concept! Smith fans would certainly find a lot to like here, especially the smart, funny, salty dialogue, the wonderfully low-budget production values, as well as the f****d-up but very likeable leads. Add the movie's very funny but ultimately touching treatment of modern relationships, and it reminded me of Chasing Amy, one of my favorite films.

I look forward to watching Amber's career; buy and watch the film now so when she makes her own "Lost in Translation" in a few years, you can say you were there at the beginning.

Amber Benson is amazing...

[Fedaykin_Sadako · 10/10 · 25 September 2002]

Chance premiered at the SideWalk Film Festival 22 September, 2002. As of right now, there are no distribution deals and no further plans to show the film, but that could, of course, change. And I hope with all of my heart it does.

Chance is a dark comedy about a chapter in the life of a young woman searching to find herself. It stars Amber Benson and James Marsters as Chance and Simon respectively. Also appearing in the film are Nate Barlow, Andy Hallett (the Host on Angel), Tressa diFiglia (Nicholas Brendon's wife), and Christine Estabrook.

The movie is hilarious! Definitely along my tastes in humour, and Amber did a fantastic job doing everything for this film - a true Indie movie. The soundtrack, provided by Grant Langston (with the beautiful song over the opening credits having been written by Joss Whedon), was awesome, funny, and touching. Pretty blunt, too, which served the story perfectly.

I was so afraid this movie would suck as much as I love Amber Benson. It didn't. It was much better than a lot of the movies I've seen lately. Amber was fantastic and James was so adorable it was scary.

If you get the chance (haha), see this movie. You will not be disappointed.

Very good for what it is

[acadec_nova · 7/10 · 27 September 2003]

Now, like many of the commenters here, I'm a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Amber Benson's work in that show, but don't dismiss this comment as simply another fanboy declaring his love. I fully expected to be disappointed, somewhat, with this movie and, in some ways, I was. But, in some other ways, it was a very interesting movie - I'm glad I spent the money for it.

The summaries you've read of "looking for perfect love," etc., don't really accurately describe the movie, to me. In fact, I can't really come up with a summary of what this movie is about. It's not especially focused on anything - it's just the tale of a few days in the life, combined with various flashbacks, of Chance and her friend and roommate Simon.

The direction is very interesting, though I can't really explain why - it's obvious that it was recorded with consumer-level equipment, by an amateur in direction, but Amber obviously has lots of native talent in direction, because you don't care. In fact, in many ways, the "home" feeling of the direction makes it feel more...real.

The writing is imperfect - Amber is young and talented, but not yet ready for primetime. The dialogue is witty, but the overall flow of the story could use some work. Individually, I like most if not all scenes, but the whole seems to focus on the wrong things in some cases.

The acting, though, is superb. Amber Benson and James Marsters are the best, in my opinion, of the Central Buffy Cast of the last few years, especially Marsters. His portrayal of Simon is very believable, showing that he can play more than sexy vampires.

Overall, this movie is much more worthy of being watched than many of the movies of the past year, but not as good as the fanboy reviews up to now have made it seem. Still, if you get a chance to see it and are at all interested in a rather offbeat romantic (sort of) comedy (sort of), or are fans of either Amber Benson or James Marsters, then you should see it.

7 / 10.

I'm sorry I beg to differ....

[annaclara-1 · 3/10 · 24 November 2007]

I'm sorry, I really am, it took me forever to finally get to see this movie, I waited for it for a long time, but seriously, I'm sorry but it sucks. I study movies and all sorts of things connected to them, and this looks like a very juvenile attempt that should appear on you tube rather than be made into a film. I love Amber Benson, and I love the story, but you can glance at this and within the first few minutes understand what's wrong. As(or at least wishfully hoping that I could be) a director I present the failures in this movie as the poster children for the fact that not everyone can and should be a director. Somebody compared this to Clerks and really, you should shut your mouth and go watch it again, because lots can be said about Clerks but not that it's a poor attempt. First off: this movie, because of its many dialogues and the general speaking, needed a good director that could have avoided making it look like filmed theater. It did not have that, and the result is that it looks like neither Amber nor James can act in the slightest, which is something far far from the truth. Secondly, what can't be corrected while filming can be eventually saved while editing,and that didn't happen. The timing is completely off, and it dwells on what should have passed unnoticed. Third, most of what I said can be considered style, but it's not. You can kinda see the style, but it needs to be refined and once again I'm sorry but you can clearly see Amber is not a director. What I hate is that the idea is good, the script also is very good, and for the first few times I saw this movie I let it convince me and bring me in. But when after knowing the story by heart I was able to step out a bit and stop condoning the errors and it was just then that I finally noticed that this movie is a mere 3 out of a potential 10... And it makes me sad to say this, but really... I wish Amber would have given it to a director, her performance would have been 100 times better and the film also. Sorry.

Don't Miss a Chance to See this Movie!

[wickedslayer76 · 10/10 · 4 October 2002]

Currently, to my knowledge, this movie does not yet have a distributor, which makes me sad to think everyone who should see this movie may not get the chance. But I can assure you, it is well worth the effort to seek it out. Hopefully, it will find its way to many more film festivals like the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, AL, which gave Chance its world premiere. If they have a film festival in your area, tell them they need to get this film!

As a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel, I can almost assure you that if you are a fan as well, you'll love this movie for the actors alone. If you've witnessed the outstanding work of Amber Benson, James Marsters, and Andy Halett, you already know they are amazing to watch. Not only can you see these actors in a completely new element, but there are wonderful moments you can only appreciate if you're a Buffy or Angel fan.

But this is not to say you must be a fan of these shows to enjoy this movie. In fact, you need not know who any of these people are to see that Chance has an air of magic about it.

First of all, I must state what a wonderful narrative voice Amber presented in this movie. When Chance (the title character) comes on screen and talks directly to the camera, you are always right there with her. She is your guide to her own life and what a wonderful guide she is. You're always waiting to hear what she'll say next and to see how she'll react to the situations she finds herself in.

And funny! I did not expect to laugh so much. Amber conveys such a quick and biting wit that you can't help but sit back and laugh. Chance is not afraid to say what others wouldn't dare, and you love her for it.

Not to give anything away, but I also have to comment on the movie's delightful balladeer. The songs wonderfully mirror the action, and much like Chance herself, they help bring to light those things we all think but would never say aloud.

This movie is the journey of one girl to make sense of the things in her life. From the moment you meet Chance, you quickly get on board to see where she'll take you and the discoveries she'll make. You get to meet a lot of interesting characters on the way, and in the end, you just may make a few discoveries on your own.

Getting to see the world premiere of this movie was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. This movie is a complete joy to watch, whether you're a devoted Buffy or Amber fan, or just a person who likes to watch a great movie now and then.

Until this movie is picked up by a distributor, it may be hard to find, so I urge you to check other film festivals and the official website for more information, and don't miss your chance to see this movie.

Christal

Bad Amateur Film

[Rob__H · 1/10 · 6 April 2010]

First of all, while I don't consider myself an expert on the technical aspects of film-making, this film is colossal failure in every sense of the imagination. Amber Benson can't direct or edit films. Period. The shots are framed badly, the transitions are jarring and lighting is blown out. The actors break the fourth wall badly and way too often. The acting is flat and uninspired, and the script they are acting out is filled with poor dialog. The random breaks to a guy playing bad acoustic guitar songs just makes this even more unbearable. If this were submitted to a film school, they may not even accept it. To summarize, Chance is shallow, badly directed, acted, edited and written. Now I understand that some think that giving this a 1 out of 10 in unfair for an independent student project -- and I would disagree. It's on IMDb, in the same category as classic films such as Annie Hall, and has a rating fueled by Joss Whedon fanboys. This irks me. I would give it a 0 if I could. If you haven't seen this, understand that this is a student-quality rush job that tries to ride the coat tails of a television series that reached its prime in 1999. Chance makes those God-awful Asylum Films rip-offs seem like cinematic gems.

Even better than expected!

[worldsapart · 10/10 · 22 September 2002]

I just saw this movie today at its world premiere (at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in Birmingham, AL) and it was absolutely amazing! I mean, I was expecting good things, with all the wonderful actors participating, but I was blown away by Amber Benson's brilliant and inspiring script. The dialogue--including some hilarious direct commentary by Chance herself--was quick, witty and entertaining, while at the same time insightful. Even though Chance's character is nothing like me (I'm more of a Simon myself), I could completely relate to her, simply because of the raw and realistic (in a surrealistic way, at least) of her.

This movie was also HILARIOUS. The entire audience laughed constantly, and not AT the movie. All it takes is James Marsters wearing ... Well, I'll leave that for when you see it (because you must). But his outfit is not the only thing that's laugh-worthy, I guarantee. The flashback within a flashback within a forward flash format leaves plenty of flexibility for humor and seriousness alike.

As far as acting goes, the performances were right on. Amber Benson and James Marsters work really well together. Then throw Andy Hallett into the mix and you've got magic. I mean, we've all seen them on Buffy/Angel, but never like this. If you ever had doubts about their abilities (not that you ever did, I'm sure), this will clear it up. The other characters were beautiful as well, particularly the creepy neighbor (Nate Barlow? I think that's right) and the former fling (Rayder Woods? once again, I think).

Go see this film! If you aren't touched by it (not to mention holding your side from laughing so hard), then you have some serious issues....or maybe you just need to find a different hobby. =)

Not a good movie

[amnesiack · 2/10 · 23 September 2004]

It's clear that anyone who recommends this movie does so only because they are such fans of Buffy/Angel that they are blind to any chance that their heroes could make something that is incredibly awful. And so, they interpret crap as art and extol it to anyone who will listen. I myself love those shows (pretty much anyone who has heard of this movie does), and I wanted to like this movie, but, unfortunately, I have eyes and ears.

The camera work, visual quality, and sound are all forgivable because it is a low-budget movie (about $25,000, rather than the $150,000 someone else here quoted), and I've worked on low budget movies before. There are some limitations to movie-making that simply cannot be overcome without a decent amount of money. However, writing and acting are not two of those limitations. Chance has its moments, but the majority of the acting is sub-par even for the actors that I know can do better. The writing isn't horrible; occasionally, it's even good, but the dialogue often falls far short of anything remotely realistic and the scenes with the walking/singing guitar man should be burned. And, again, the actors' poor deliveries don't help fix any of the problems that the script does have.

If you're interested in Amber's project, rent it if you can find it; support the artists you like and maybe someday she'll be able to make something better. But don't buy this movie unless you just have money to burn. It's not worth it.

Rating - 2/10

Worth a look - not just as a James Marsters Fan

[RizRax · 26 September 2004]

I took a 'chance' and bought this film, but know that others may be wondering whether it is worth a view. Amber Benson does an admirable job here as writer/director/lead actor and her casting of James Marsters was inspired, if very understandable as a result of the Buffy link. He has obvious pedigree and audience appeal, which will immediately reach a greater range of viewer. But one soon realizes that you are not watching 'Spike' and that his role as Simon, the love interest, is rather engaging in it's own right. For those huge fans of James - I know there are many - this film allows him to shine ever brighter,whilst exploring a very different character. And there is sufficient romance to please. It is a real shame this film does not have a distributer. They are missing a huge market if the James Marsters web sites are to be believed. Give it a go if you can get hold of a copy. Well worth a look.

I was...

[Ross_Sw15 · 10/10 · 12 October 2002]

I was so excited about seeing this film at the Sidewalk Film Festival and was not let down. Watching it made me laugh out loud and that is uncommon with most movies. The storyline is so entertaining and the actors are wonderful. Seeing the characters with such great skill was wonderful. I know, any sane distributer would love to distribute this movie. Amber Benson proves with this movie that is possible to be successful and shows her multi-talent as a wonderful director and actor in this film. I recommend this film to everyone. I know everyone can enjoy it. :)

Bedazzled by Amber Benson

[attentionspike · 9/10 · 6 February 2003]

I was one of the people who had the chance.....okay, opportunity to see Amber's movie at its premiere at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama in September of 2002. I traveled from NY to see it. And it didn't disappoint. It wasn't easy to be 'open-minded' and an impartial movie-goer when you are a registered Amberholic, and are surrounded by other Amberholics. I knew I'd like it. I just didn't realize how much, until it was over. This is one Independent movie that has to be released either in the theaters, on Cable or on DVD. Amber is a talented actress. This I knew, watching her almost every week on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "Chance" introduces us to Amber the screenwriter, Amber the director, Amber the producer. The movie is lighthearted fun, but not like the mass produced mainstream Hollywood version of a romantic comedy. The character of "Chance" couldn't be portrayed by the Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullocks of mainstream Hollywood. Hence the independent venue. There was one minor disappointment: Not enough of Andy Hallett.

I wish there could've been one more scene with Amber's 'Chance' swooning over Andy Hallet's 'Jack'. Well worth the few hundred dollars it cost me to travel to Birmingham to see the movie.

Wow, that was AWFUL

[theantar · 3/10 · 11 October 2003]

So I came on here, saw a 9.1 rating, and thought, wow!

Was I ever disappointed.

This movie rates somewhere around a 3 out of 10. I've seen worse, granted, but never in a film I had recommended to me. I've never seen a film called "good" yet contain such horrid acting until now. The feinting scenes were an exceptionally poor nightmare, and I really, really wanted to stop watching. The only reason I did not was so I could legitimately advertise how horrible the movie was without feeling guilty for not having finished it.

Highly recommended that anyone with a brain, or anyone looking for a movie to enjoy, avoid this. I can't get over the fact that it was recommended, considering its lack of quality. Buffy the Vampire Slayer actors or not, they couldn't do anything with this lame, going-nowhere, unbelievable (literally, not in a *wow* way) script. The cinematography was bad, the acting was bad, the script was worse, and most of all, they seemed to try to get places with cross dressing, a lesbian scene, etc and all it did was make it that much *worse.*

If you like yourself, save yourself one hour and seventeen minutes. Avoid this.

Better than i expected

[jessie-8 · 9/10 · 19 September 2002]

I watched this movie because it had Amber Benson and James Marsters in it,who both star in Buffy and although i expected it to be good i didn't expect it to be this good.Chance (Amber Benson) is desperate to find the right guy and she goes through dead-end relationships in the process.I won't say more so i don't spoil it but i HIGHLY recommend anyone who does or doesn't like Buffy go and see it. 9/10

Completely Contrived Chance

[LemonScentedDirt · 1/10 · 28 May 2003]

I had the opportunity to see the world premiere of this film at the Birmingham Festival in September of 2002. I must say, it was probably the worst movie at the festival. The dialogue was completely contrived and not natural. The characters were flat and blatantly overdone archetypes. Amber Benson plays a twenty something year old young woman that is looking for "the one". Even with the unoriginal plot, she could have made something meaningful out of the film, but she really didn't. There is nothing in this movie that hasn't been done better in other movies.Jokes came off as pathetic attempts to be "cool and urban", while the melodrama was filled with angst (the bad kind). It seemed to me that the romantic relationships of Chance were created to please Amber Benson-in-Buffy fans. The plot of the movie was nothing new, and nothing even interesting. I am certain that this only won the audience award because of the utterly devoted and sometimes maniacal Amber Benson fans at the festival. This film doesn't deserve distribution as it is contrived, humorless, and a pathetic attempt to move Amber Benson past the realm of television. She deserves better than this movie.

Life's like a big jigsaw puzzle you don't have the box to...

[JohnnyAfropuff · 10/10 · 24 January 2004]

"Chance" was a wonderfully refreshing film. Interesting and endearing characters drive the story about a woman and her best friend searching for their place in the world and the strange people they meet along the way.

Amber Benson has managed to write, direct, produce, and star in a great film. Her character of Chance is amazing, and I loved every second she was on screen. However, James Marsters is the one who really steals the show as her best friend Simon. He has some of the best lines and is easily the most complex character, even more so than the confused Chance. He is obsessed with time and death and is apparently down on his luck in the game of love. James is absolutely brilliant in this picture.

The other actors in the film add phenomenal support (although Tressa DiFiglia has a horrible British accent), especially Andy Hallett and Christina Estabrook.

Interestingly enough, the soundtrack consists of music video-like performance pieces by Grant Langston inserted throughout the film. They fit the mood perfectly and add a fresh, new feeling to the film since I've never seen anything like that done before.

Overall, "Chance" is a winner. It's funny, dramatic, endearing, and brilliantly acted.

Argh.

[howa0082 · 2/10 · 12 March 2007]

When you're a mediocre actress with nothing to do, what else is there to do but poorly write a movie? Well, you can badly direct, produce, and star in it.

A furious hurricane of wankalicious self-aggrandizement, Chance utterly fails at being compelling. The only reason a viewer could possibly watch this movie is through being a pre-existing fan of Amber Benson.

I had the vast misfortune of seeing this project, which completely comes across as "it'd be really awesome if this random thing happened..." amateurism.

The characters don't journey anywhere, and the only real acting came from James Marsters, who plays a man as only a woman could write one: emotionally vulnerable and feminine, as opposed to Amber Benson's own character, who fills all the masculinity of the piece.

The editing was horrifying, as well. There is a scene wherein Chance is relating her thoughts about a guy she was seeing. He's dull. This is well pointed out, but then the interminably boring conversation keeps going. For a very long time.

In short, it's a "screwball romantic comedy" that is decent for a class project in high school. But this tripe wouldn't cut it in the professional world.

Chance Got a Distributor...

[reneedialesandro · 1 September 2005]

This movie was not only highly entertaining, amazingly clever, but it was silly while being poignant. That is a hard feat to pull off! You followed the life of the main character, Chance, and watched her go through the same things we all have gone through, and watched her react just a little differently than you'd expect. I loved this. The casting was great, and now the movie has been distributed by Small Planet Pictures. Amber Benson wore a lot of hats for this production, and I think she wore them all perfectly. If you are the type who only buys films that you know will be great, then trust me and buy this one. You won't be disappointed!

This movie needs a distributor - now

[Jo-Jo1074 · 9/10 · 17 December 2002]

I was lucky enough to see Chance on Sunday 15 December, at its first UK screening in London. Apart from being a Buffy / Amber Benson fan, I had no preconceptions about the movie, but to my surprise, both my husband and I (who have very different ideas about what is and isn't funny) spent the majority of the film laughing, as did the rest of the cinema.

All the cast were fantastic, and has been previously stated, the music added another excellent dimension to an otherwise pretty good film.

Here's hoping a distributor can be found sooner rather than later, so that many more people get the opportunity to see such a brilliant and original film. It's a film I definately want adding to my dvd collection.

The Best Film I've Seen In A Long Time

[AbsolutelyFab_J · 10/10 · 7 October 2002]

I had the pleasure of seeing Chance at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Alabama and I honestly didn't know what to expect. Having been a fan of BTVS and Amber Benson's, I was hoping it was going to be good. Instead it was GREAT film. It's well written, directed and acted! I found it refreshing in it's bluntness, witty and incredibly funny! Amber Benson is a huge talent and I hope this film finds a distributer soon because it would be a tragedy if others didn't get a chance (no pun intended) to see this fabulous film. If this is any indication of what Miss Benson has to offer us she is going to be around for a very long time entertaining people. She seems to have such determination but then she is very humble and approachable. I believe there is nothing she cannot do. I can't wait to see what she does next. Anyone who gets the chance to see his film, please do, you will not regret it. You will leave with your side hurting from laughter and wanting to see it again and again! This film is an all around winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank You Amber for a great film.

A student film, and not even a good one

[GEUK · 4/10 · 21 April 2004]

I am, like most people who will see Chance, a big Buffy/Angel fan. I also think Amber Benson is one of the more interesting and creative members of the cast.

However this is not a good movie. It states somewhere here that the budget was $150,000. Frankly, I'm at a loss as to where that went. It was shot on DV, the main actors are former Buffy/Angel colleagues who probably didn't try to cause her financial ruin and as for the rest of the production values, well, there weren't any.

There was no flair, no visual ingenuity, no cinematic moments. Of course, this is forgiveable if the plot and dialogue compensate. Sadly these are just as pedestrian. Long time friends get together after dramatic event, pull apart then end up together. There's no twist, no catch, no drama. The whole film is relentlessly on the nose, right down to having Chance state basic facets of human behaviour to the camera. In fact, the movie reminds me of nothing so much as catching up with an old friend from high school who you used to have a good time with but then they spent two hours boring you about how they got into their current relationship and you're now looking for the Exit sign.

Nobody is going to pick this up for distribution (even though there are much worse movies out there) and it will remain a curio purely of interest to us hardcore Buffyverse fans. I do hope Amber's next film will be more interesting.

A wonderful film from a master storyteller

[Vampire-Parrot · 10/10 · 24 September 2002]

I can put my hand on my heart and honestly say that Chance is one of the best movies I have ever seen for many, many reasons. I'm not going to give any spoilers away... just make some very general points.

The pace of the film speeds up and slows down throughout depending on what is necessary to make each scene work, and Amber gets it spot-on every time!

The dialog is quick, witty, extremely funny, very rude in a few places and always totally gripping. I'm going to have to see Chance many times to catch all of the jokes! And then I'll have to buy the DVD. Important hint : make sure you go to the bathroom before watching. I'm glad I did or else I'd have had an embarassing accident.

Although the dialog is rude, the scenes are never so. No nudity, no semi-clad naked girls, although James Marsters does appear topless (calm down, Pat!).

The acting is tremendous. Imagine the "Chance" actors that also appear in Buffy being on top form - and you'll have some idea of just how good they are. I would love to single one or two of them out - but they are all so damn good that I just can't.

Unlike some Indies, the soundtrack is extremely clear, very well balanced, which given the quick-fire dialog and very funny songs is most welcome. (English understatement...)

The musical score adds a very necessary but very subtle touch, turning an excellent movie into a totally fabulous one. The music is never "in your face" like some musical scores, and Aaron Fruchtman, the composer, is going to go very far indeed.

The original songs are just hilarious, at some points very Monty Python-ish, often extremely rude, extremely well played and sung. I just know that once I've got the film on DVD, my wife and myself will end up learning the words and singing them at a party sometime....

The cinematography is excellent. It was shot on DV (digital video) which can cause contrast problems, and after seeing movies shot in 35mm, it's immediately obvious that the resolution, contrast and colour balance of Chance can in no way match those. Instead of that being a problem, Patrice Cochet (the director of photography or DP) uses those attributes of DV to his advantage. I think pretty much every scene is shot using a hand-held camera, but instead of doing rapid "arty-farty" movements of the camera currently in vogue with some DPs, the camera movements are very deliberate and paced. It's brilliant camera work, truly brilliant.

Danielle Benson, Amber's sister, did all of the original art in the film. Where can I buy some of her work???? Diane Benson has said that her daughters are equally talented, and she's right!

If I could have just one wish, at this moment it would be that Amber Benson could read my mind and really know what I think about her movie. At the awards party, I got the feeling that Amber still doesn't realise what a masterpiece she's created, what a superb, all-round story teller she truly is. Poor Amber was totally exhausted (and then some), yet before she left the awards party she went outside, called fans over to her, and she then spent a long time with them so they could have their picture taken with her and to talk with her. When she did go I could see from the way she started walking just how totally exhausted she was, and I hope she now takes some time to recover from what I think was one of the most stressful (and I hope enjoyable) times of her life.

The first distributor to pick this film up is going to make a LOT of money.

James Butler