A comforting reminder of shared loneliness...

As far as films about phone sex go...... Written and directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Easier With Practice comments on the human condition's universal dynamism. It is an immaculate illustration of the difficulty in relating not only to a lover, but to an individual in the modern world at large. Physicality, sensuality, fear and comfort. Characters carve out personalities that can charismatically interact with ease as well as those that struggle to maneuver even the most mundane of social scenarios. In the end, the story paints a beautifully sympathetic rendering of people's capacity to let go of an ego long enough to see themselves as the hurt and lonely and scared and kind and erotic shading in another person's skin. I'll continue with this in the morning, as well as the Q & A that Alvarez gave after the film's screening tonight....my thoughts need to marinate.


After reading an article in GQ about a guy who ends up accidentally falling in limerence with a voice over the phone, Kyle Patrick Alavarez was inspired to make Easier With Practice. The true story of Davey Rothbart, upon which the film is based, has spawned yet another cinematic venture in MY HEART IS AN IDIOT, documenting Rothbart's real-life struggles with a four letter word. Brian Geraghty (jarhead, the hurt locker, bobby) gives an impeccable performance, one that is both sincere and entertaining. Alvarez's story plays off of our flaws and our fears and in so doing he manages to transgress prescribed social boundaries and assumptions for a memorable look into, yes, our shared loneliness, but also our profoundly acute connectedness.