liztheavenger

In trying to summarize this film, I found myself saying that 12 Months does for rom-com's what Bo Burham's film, 8th Grade, did for coming-of-age stories: 12 Months removes all the fake, over-glamorized, over-satirized and unrealistic BS and zero's in on the realest and most vulnerable moments between two people. Despite the painful, emotional, and, at times, cringe-worthy experiences of the two main characters, there are many funny moments in this film that balance things out. Clark (Michael James Kelly) and Ellie (Elizabeth Hirsch-Tauber) feel like a real couple that make many of the same mistakes that plague so many new couples, and their evolution as a pair is wonderfully examined throughout the film. Excellent performances by the leads as well as the supporting characters, Christopher Mychael Watson as Marlon and Lindsey Rose Naves as Audrey are particularly entertaining, but every actor in this film deserves high praise. Direction and cinematography are also excellent, everything feels very well-timed and matches the overall vibe of this really great movie.

Oy. The five is for the dancing and some of the acting but as a movie, I'd give it a 2 or 3. I honestly enjoyed the first Battle quite a bit, but this sequel relies way too heavily on the dance sequences and does not utilize the acting skills of the two leads. My main problem with the first film was that the resolution came about far too quickly, and this film suffers the same fate. What's worse though, the main character Amalie (Lisa Teige) seems to have learned absolutely nothing from her previous experiences in the last film and repeats all the same mistakes-lying to her friends and treating her boyfriend like garbage. And just like the last film, all problems are solved with dancing and a half-hearted apology that's too little too late. A pointless side plot where Amalie befriends some local dancers wastes precious time that could have been used to develop the main characters and given Amalie a chance to actually show real remorse for her actions.

The relationship between Amalie and her mother was the only one that showed any real depth or evolution. It was complicated and painful and engaging. I wish the rest of the film had followed that formula.

I did love the dancing, but everything else was very disappointing.