Movie Reviews
Garden Party: A Party Worth RSVPing To
Molly Sullivan |
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 If there is one thing that Los Angeles is known for--other than The Ivy--it has to be that it’s the city everyone comes to to fulfill their dreams. Except, L.A. isn’t always the friendliest city, and when you get past the celebrities and A-list parties, you'll find out what it’s really about. Roadside Attractions’ Garden Party shows audiences just that.
Garden Party, written and directed by Jason Freeland, twists five main characters’ lives together, making them meet and leave each other as they find their way through L.A. April’s (Willa Holland) story, which feels like the center of the action, begins harshly as she runs away from a step-dad who is a little too fond of her. She doesn’t come off as naïve, although it seems as though she’s practiced in hiding most emotions since all of the ones she has probably experienced up until now most likely haven’t been good. As she’s pulled into the temptation of a quick buck, April is forced to decide if there’s another way for her to make it out in L.A.
As April’s out making her way through the city, her life intertwines with Nathan’s (Alexander Cendese), a young man who is anything but excited about his life. Working as a real estate assistant, he spends his time answering phones, getting coffee and figuring out how to get out.
We find these contrasting characters intertwined through Sally St. Claire (Vinessa Shaw), the self-proclaimed best real estate agent in the area. You can tell she has secrets, and she surrounds herself with those who probably remind her of her younger self. Her past is brought to present with a potential new client, Todd (Richard Gunn), with whom she forms a bizarre and fascinating relationship. Todd and Sally seem to live in their own twisted worlds, which makes them also fit into each others’ quite comfortably.
 On the outside of this intermingling is probably the most relatable character, Sammy (Erik Scott Smith), another one of L.A.’s struggling musicians. He is one of those people who marches to the beat of his own drum, not knowing the L.A. protocol in order to “make it,” but stumbles his way along. His passion and almost lack of drive make him endearing and honest.
The appeal of this film lies in the fact that it captures what L.A. means to just about everyone who ventures out there. It overwhelms people with its dark side, and Garden Party lets viewers into the painful sides of each character’s life. We can almost feel their pain, although some of the characters seem so dark at times, like Todd and Nathan, that audiences struggle to relate to them. We want to sympathize with them, but they don’t give us a chance as we don’t get clear explanations for their actions. These characters are probably the hardest to understand and connect with.
However, thanks to the other three characters, viewers get the true feeling of the darkness of L.A. mixed with the optimism of the people who flood through it. April is the epitome of this emotion; while she’s been through a number of negative experiences, April is still willing to work towards a life of her own, appearing completely unaware of the pain she’s been through. Her almost mirror image would be Sally, who has lived April’s life and still carries it with her to this day. While they have taken the same path for a while, it seems as if April will drift from it and get away from that dark spot that Sally is constantly drawn to.
 Standing alone is Sammy. He doesn’t seem to be as affected by the darkness of L.A., and is, in a way, the lone spotlight of the city. He seems lucky enough to have a natural talent that is quickly noticed. His character doesn’t quite fit in with the others, as he floats through L.A. with very minor bumps along the way.
While Garden Party wraps up a little too cleanly and easily, the overall image and feel of attempting to find your way through the city comes across clearly. Visually, viewers see the characters finding their way through L.A., but are left encouraged. The lighting in the film is even much darker in the beginning, so it feels like audiences are almost waking up at the end, opening their eyes to the sun. While this story may feel like a familiar one, it has the unique touch of utter despair mixed with hope and confusion, and is topped with some really wonderful music throughout.
Garden Party is now playing at Laemmle Sunset 5, Laemmle Monica, Laemmle Playhouse 7 and University Town Center 6.
For more information, visit gardenpartymovie.com.
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