The producers of “Old Joy,” “Wendy & Lucy” and “Paranoid Park” continue on their mission of delivering low-budget, minimalist, indie fare with “Some Days Are Better Than Others.” The film gained some early press when it was announced The Shins’ James Mercer and Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein would be in the leads. Well the trailer for the film dropped today, and was given a boost by Pitchfork, and oh boy, we don’t know what to make of it.
According to the film’s website, the movie “explores ideas of abundance, emptiness, human connection and abandonment while observing an interweaving web of awkward characters who maintain hope by inventing their own forms of communication and self-fulfillment.” Uh, ok. Speaking of awkward, check out these character descriptions. Brownstein plays Katrina, “a twenty-something reality TV enthusiast, video diarist and animal shelter worker whose world falls apart when she finds that those important to her are often not what she hopes they would be.” Yuck.
As for Mercer, he doesn’t fare much better playing “a mid-30s slacker who could offer a thoroughly researched social critique explaining all the reasons why he shouldn’t get a job.” It sounds like an unbearable quirkfest, and that feeling certainly isn’t helped by the trailer which borders on playing out like a satire of these kinds of films, with lots of “meaningful” cinematography and earnest declarations. We think the film is going to get a free pass from a lot of people because of its indie credentials, but we just hope the feature debut by experimental filmmaker Matt McCormick aspires to be something more than a minimalist “Garden State.”
The trailer is below. No details yet on release dates or distribution.
I thought it was kind of… vague. But oh how I love Carrie Brownstein. Sleater-Kinney! Thunderant! She doesn't do wrong! Therefore, this movie shouldn't suck.
Looks like the bad, emo parts of Garden State instead of the awesome, relatable post-grad nostalgia Garden State.