Matt and Mara [2024]

 Canadian filmmaker Kazik Radwanski’s indie film Matt and Mara was distinctively Rohmersque thanks to its playful, conversational, charming and understated qualities, with its controlled messiness, nuanced peek into romantic conundrums, ambling script and improv air. Should one be in any doubts, he gave a very direct nod to the French master towards the end. The beautiful Mara (Deragh Campbell) teaches creative writing at a university in Toronto, while deeply wanting to get back to her love for writing. Meanwhile, while her marriage to a musician (Mounir Al Shami) is fine on paper, she’s experiencing undercurrents of malaise. She’s possibly even inching towards existential crisis, though she doesn’t let it out on account of her reserved nature. In walks the dashing Matt (Matt Johnson), a funny, carefree, self-assured and successful writer settled in New York, whose second novel has been recently published to considerable acclaim. While in town for a few days, he pays a visit to Mara – they were once best friends in college – and that begins a renewed relationship that’s difficult to categorize. They hang out at a café, walk along the streets of Toronto, discuss about art and life, go on a road trip, act along when mistaken as a couple and share some tender as well as vulnerable moments. The chemistry between these two individuals, who couldn’t be more different, was delightfully done, thanks in large parts to the endearing turns by both actors – with Campbell being particularly striking in capturing her growing emotional conflicts – and the thoughtfully crafted script that belied its slender length. That the film doesn’t end with any neat conclusions and left their relationship teasingly nondescript, made it all the more infectious.

Director: Kazik Radwanski

Genre: Drama/Romantic Drama/Urban Drama/Road Movie

Language: English

Country: Canada