Two Ninas

I saw this film last year at the Gen Art Film Festival in NYC, where it won Audience Award. I just watched it a second time eleven months later on videotape, (a copy submitted to another festival, which inexplicably rejected it), and it holds up.

It has a few flaws: Amanda Peet's character is shunted aside too cavalierly in the third act; we never see these guys at the jobs they mention often; the lead character's novel being queried about by an agent goes nowhere, and an ending that ends flat, despite the enjoyable movie that leads up to it. But the pluses are many: great soundtrack, good NYC locations, no false notes, and a breezy pace.

Bray Poor, who I saw off Broadway in what I thought was an authentic Cockney accent, is simply great as the shallow NYC friend. Amanda Peet is very engaging here, which explains why I wanted to see more of her. And the lead actor is extremely good. Cara Buono was fine as the main Nina. (She's a hell of a writer. I've read her "Charmed Life" screenplay.)

All in all, an entertaining dead-on dating movie. Men and women will both like it. Where are the distributors?? Worse dreck has been in theaters. This played equally well in a theater with an audience, and at home on tape by myself. It deserves more of an audience.