An exploration of the grey areas of contemporary dating and how much we keep from the people we’re closest to.
‘In A Relationship’ is a film that really hits home, something that many of us can relate to on several levels. Shot mockumentary style, this short follows two young couples in opposite stages of romance: Matt and Willa, who have been hooking up for six days, and Owen and Abby, who are trying in vain to breathe new life into a five-year relationship that is growing stale. The film is an exploration of the grey areas of contemporary dating and how much we keep from the people we’re closest to.
Shimmered by awkward and uncomfortable moments that strangely connect us even closer to our main characters. The strong connections couldn’t be achieved without the formidable performance by the cast, lead by the always adorable Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey, 21 Jump street) and Nicholas Braun (The Perks for Being a Wallflower, The Watch).
Soon to be a feature film, ‘In a Relationship’ was made in an attempt to use the structural tropes of romantic comedies while avoiding the artifice and plot contrivances they usually succumb to. The goal was to tell a story about love that felt as honest as possible, and to mine funny/sad details from the kind of things that really happen when people try to be together.
The avoidance of the artifice and plot contrivances is a thing of beauty and we can do nothing but admire. Even though we do not get our happy ending, there is a sense of reality in the insecurity of the characters that makes them, and us alike feel a little more human.
