Every so often an indie comes along done just right. And yes, a disproportionate amount of those time it’ll have a Duplass name attached to it. But the prolific Duplass bros did not create this show, they just produced it and Jay directed a bunch of it. And yet, their distinct vibe is all over this quiet gem.
On a surface there isn’t much to it: a woman comes back to her hometown, something somewhere small in Kansas (suburban Chicago standing in). Devastated by her sister’s death and with nothing much anchoring her down, Sam, the protagonist , is in her 40s and unmoored. It’ll takes a few good friends to bring her out of her funk. And boy, does she make friends. Why wouldn’t she? Sam’s got an easy charm, she’s funny, and she can really sing. And so, she reconnects with Joel, someone she knew and forgot from high school who introduces her into his world of queer quirky misfit toys. Yes, apparently, they got those in Kansas. Who knew? Joel is a lovely being all around, someone who also isn’t anywhere where his visionboard takes him, but indomitably optimistic about life. Exactly the sort of friend Sam needs. Maybe exactly the sort of friend everybody needs. And then there’s Fred Rococo, a delightful monopoly man of dapper suits and purple party van fame, who balances out every gathering with a simple no-nonsense approach. There’s of course, Sam’s family to reckon with too. From her charming mountain of a father, to her alcoholic mother, to her difficult and very different from Sam sister, to her beloved teenage niece. It’s all about balance, finding and giving love where you can, but above all, this is a story of the power of friendship. As such, it is somewhat unusual. There’s virtually no romantic subplots. It’s all about meeting the right people who can buoy your spirits and help you get through this tough, tough life. From a personal perspective, it’s practically a fantasy, but objectively speaking…yes, I would like to believe in this sort of thing existing in the world – misfits misfitting together. It’s downright heartwarming, albeit not in any sort of cheesy way. It’s all so very low key, but the acting is top rate. When Sam sings her heart out, you can feel it in yours. And yes, there’s that symmetry of a person from Manhattan, Kansas playing a character from Manhattan, Kansas that surely provides some emotional punch up. The rest of the cast is from Chicago region and all over, but they mesh well, and their motley crew’s devastating disappointments and small triumphs absolutely shine. There’s realism to it, indie style. Maybe even more so. There’s only one conventionally attractive by Hollywood standards person in the entire cast. It’s quite refreshing to see real people on screen, living real lives. With a bit of sunshine now and again. It reminded me in style and energy and emotion of The Detectorists, a BBC show I’m fond off. Another quiet gem worth checking out. So yeah, there you go, with only seven short episodes, this is an easy binge and entirely worth it. Somewhere on HBO there’s something you ought to watch.
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