Life on the Ledge

I saw this film at the Austin Film Fest of 2005 and I must say it was one of the better films I saw there. Lewis Helfer, who wrote, directed, and starred in this film, plays Brian, a 32 year old oddball, still living with his parents in NYC. His unique character, including his numerous face twitches, his daily loaf of bread, and unusual thought processes were all visually presented in a smart and comical way. Aware of his pitiful existence, Brian contemplates suicide almost daily, and finally decides to do it. But soon after his decision, he is told by doctors that he will only have two weeks to live. With this prognosis, he decides to live life "to the fullest." With this new rule for life, he decides to talk to the beautiful and mysterious Claire. As things unfold, he finds himself living for the first time, but time is running out. The experimental aspect of the film works very well comically, taking the audience into hilarious dream sequences and the inner-workings of his mind. I really enjoyed this film for it's quaint-ness, if you know what I mean. This was a little story with intricately molded characters that made a lasting impact on me. I unfortunately saw the second screening of the film, where Lewis Helfer was not present. If he was, I'd definitely give him kudos and a hug.