A Weekend at Rom Com Fest
by Julie Perez
Rom Com Fest occurred this past weekend in Los Angeles and it felt like a culmination of all of my favorite things. The film festival featured films ranging in the classic Romantic Comedies like !0 Things I Hate About You, Never Been Kissed and Bride Wars to the new Independent films like One Bedroom, Summer Night and Two In The Bush.
Rom Com Fest created the perfect Instagrammable weekend with the help of candle-making, a corner to write your own love notes and quotes spread throughout the venue waiting for the perfect picture. The line-up of films added to the perfect weekend and one in particular stood out: One Bedroom.
One Bedroom is written and directed by Darien Sills-Evans. The film follows a man who has just ended the relationship, the entire movie is him explaining to his barber shop coworkers how the breakup happened and how he’s feeling since it happened. The premise feels familiar; the end of a relationship and the grieving of said relationship.
It could be that this film stood out because the potential was in the outline of the film, the roots of it felt strong but the execution is where it faltered. It started with the chemistry between the leading actors. I couldn’t find the love between Devin Nelson and Darien Sills-Evan, their interactions felt forced and like they were telling two different stories. Since the foundation of the film was the relationship, I think I struggled to connect with the film because I was so focused on trying to figure out the acting decisions that were being made.
I hate to speak negatively about a film, because the hard work that goes into making one should not go unnoticed. So I will say, the writing was there, it felt refreshing to go through the heartache from the man’s point of view. The film had true laugh-out-loud moments and the transition between present time and flashbacks felt genuine in the storytelling. The supporting cast that centered within the barbershop found their chemistry immediately and kept the energy up throughout the film. Though I wish the journey could’ve felt a tiny bit more genuine, One Bedroom felt like the perfect way to spend Sunday Funday.
Rom Com Fest was the necessary distraction in these trying times. I watched wonderfully-funny films, I took the perfect pictures and I mingled with fellow Rom Com lovers.
