THROUGH IT ALL // A FILM REVIEW OF “MAGIC HOUR”
BY MATEO MORENO
Grief is something no two people experience the same way. It can take a lot of different forms, from heartbreaking sadness, mania, a feeling of helplessness, feeling lost, even laughter. MAGIC HOUR, the new film by Kate Aselton (with a script co-written by her husband Mark Duplass) is a soft, quiet and often quite powerful meditation on grief and the process of letting go, centering around one couple: Erin (Aselton) and Charlie (Daveed Diggs). First premiering at SXSW last year, it’s now hitting select theatres across America. The film kicks off with Erin and Charlie getting ready to get on a Ferris Wheel. Erin is all about it and Charlie is… not. He’s afraid of heights but willing to conquer it here. It’s a lovely way to introduce them, showcasing a loving couple who are there for each other and it’s clear right away how natural and connected this relationship feels. However, something happens in their life and causes that bright light between them to dim. Hoping to find answers, the couple sets off on a trip to the California desert, Joshua Tree specifically, staying at their friend’s home (Brad Garrett). The trip feels like a reboot of sorts, a way for them to connect in a way that they seem to not quite be doing. A refresh, or reboot, is what they’re looking for. The couple has lost something, something that isn’t revealed right away, and are looking for a way to move forward, hopefully together. I won’t reveal what the reveal is, but once it’s set in motion, the real traction of the film begins.
Magic Hour is a meditative film, one that takes its time (the total running time clocks in at about 80 minutes or so) and asks you to experience the struggle alongside the couple. The writing is natural and delicate, as is the lead performance from Kate Aselton. She’s truly wonderful here, heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time. Daveed Diggs turns in quite a compelling performance alongside her. His grief is similar to Aselton’s but different and he also naturally radiates a joy from within that feels so warm and lived in. Their chemistry together is splendid and has an effortless feel to it. They work off each other very well, especially as Erin seems so stuck while Charlie wants to be supportive but is ready to move forward with her. It’s a delicate showcase of how crisis and sadness can creep into a relationship and refuse to let go. Some of the dialogue, especially once the crisis is revealed, seems stuck and often repeats the same argument over and over. Then again, life does this as well, so even though it can be at times frustrating to repeat on a film level, it does feel real. As if it is because they’re stuck in a loop explains why they can’t move forward. The magic of the California desert does add a sense of wonder to the entire proceedings and the film itself is ultimately a powerful, sad and hopeful journey through distress and the hope we are are searching for.
GRADE: B+
WRITTEN BY Kate Aselton, Mark Duplass DIRECTED BY Kate Aselton STARRING Kate Aselton, Daveed Diggs, Susan Sullivan, D.J. “Shangela” Pierce, Brad Garrett NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATRES