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Young love, tearjerker style. |
| An indie romance about young love, finding yourself, figuring out your future, living in Ohio, and leaving Ohio. Escaping Ohio has very common themes about a teenager hating their hometown, desperate to graduate and leave and then find love along the way. While it doesn’t tread new ground, it still me won me over with one great character, an adorable romance and a friendship that may or may not survive state borders. | 2023 Directed by: Jessica Michael Davis Screenplay by: Jessica Michael Davis, Collin Kelly-Sordelet Starring: Jessica Michael Davis, Collin Kelly-Sordelet | |
| Sam (Jessica Michael Davis), who much prefers Sam to Samantha, has been planning on leaving Ohio for as long as she could talk. She hates Akron because it’s too small (people from mid-size cities have no clue what a small town is, but I digress) and she has one best friend who just lets her be her. JJ (Collin Kelly-Sordelet) has been her best friend since she was born. She doesn’t remember how they became friends they just are. You’ll be pleased to know that it’s not just you or me, but also her friends and parents that assume there must be some reason they’re only friends and not more than friends and we’re just not privy to it. Despite Sam’s application to a California writing internship, they choose now to figure out they’re more than friends. Although there was a good reason why neither said or attempted anything earlier – they were too scared to lose or mess up what they already had. This was the point where I broke into tears over hitting a bit too close to home. And then I just remained in tears. This movie is primarily about figuring out your future, finding romance doesn’t always fit in nicely with that. Sam’s dilemmas and feelings are very universal. Most young girls who worked hard in school are going to see themselves in her. She’s a great character. Her counterpart JJ isn’t nearly as well written, he barely exists outside of Sam; however, the actor is just as good. They have great chemistry together and both their romance and friendship just radiate warmth. The director and writers are clearly very young, probably a few years older than their characters, but for a first feature film and independent production, it’s well produced. The night scenes are well lit, it is filled with indie music most of which relates to Ohio, and it’s photographed well to capture the romance. It relies on montages a bit too much especially given how short the movie already is, but the emotion is there. I connected to it, and relatively easily, I suspect most viewers will as well. Escaping Ohio reminds me of exactly two other coming-of-age romances: I Propose We Never See Each Other Again After Tonight, a production which feels similar with two young lead actors with great chemistry together; and My Old Ass, a lead character very similar to Sam desperate to leave her small town. Both happen to be Canadian, but I feel like Ohio elicits similar thoughts and feelings. | ||