Tiny Furniture - Movie Review

Tiny Furniture (R) 98 minutes A-
Postgraduate delirium and other bad choices

Starring Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Grace Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Alex Karpovsky

How could I not like Lena Dunham? She's talented, charmingly funny and full of naked ambition. In this semi autobiographical, deadpan comedy the twentysomething writer/director/actress has created a wickedly entertaining film that has been compared to Woody Allen's earlier works.

Tiny Furniture was reportedly made for around $50,000, shot with a $1,500 camera, filmed in the family's New York loft and stars Dunham's mother and sister. Many of the actors were not professionally trained, yet several moments here feel authentically awkward, sad and real (see the film's lone sex scene).

The film follows the plight of Aura (Dunham) who has just graduated from college, been recently dumped by her college boyfriend and "temporarily" moved back home with her family. The plan is to get a job, an apartment and figure out what she wants to do with her life. But Aura quickly finds that the transition from college life to real world responsibility can be daunting. Especially when you're vulnerable, unmotivated and living in the shadow of an overachieving mother and sister.

This is a good film that's not for everyone but highly recommended for those who like low-budget, bittersweet indie comedies.
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Bonus DVD Reviews
Man Push Cart (NR) 87 minutes B+
Missing someone and something he can't forget

DVD Release Date: October 2007
Starring Ahmad Razvi, Leticia Dolera, Charles Daniel Sandoval and Ali Reza.

A very heartfelt story about a man who once had it all- a beautiful wife and a promising music career. Now he's just a "Pakistani guy selling coffee and doughnuts" and trying to survive in New York City.

The film was one of Roger Ebert's ten best of 2006 and nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards.
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Blind Date (NR) 80 minutes C
Desperately trying to save the date

DVD Release Date: December 2009
Starring Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson.

A surprisingly sad and depressing film about a couple who try to cope with the death of a child by pretending to be strangers and meeting for blind dates. Tucci and Clarkson are two of my favorites, if this film was done by anyone else it would've been a total disaster.