I originally loved the short story ROMANCE as written by Chuck Palahniuk; it is a difficult task for writers to generate sincere laugh-out-loud moments in their readers, and Pahlaniuk does it as well as Sedaris in this story, because laugh out loud I did.
The film ROMANCE picks up the nuances in the short story and the film maker translates them well onto the screen.
This IS a love story, make no mistake. It is not for the feint of heart, but very few internet savvy audience members will be truly repulsed by the cringe worthy moments. Rather, the "shocking" moments are unexpected, funny, and not gratuitous.
This film is about seeing what we want to see in our mates when we are first in love. It is about seeing the good in others when that good serves our purpose, and being able to dismiss the bad when it doesn't fit in with our modern horny little visions of what happiness looks like.
At 26 minutes long, ROMANCE packs a wallop into a small space. I will not hesitate to recommend this film to friends who support independent film, friends who are fans of Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting, Fight Club, Sixshooter, and any friends who appreciate a joke.
