Fellow Movie Buffs

Friday, January 31, 2025

"Escaping Ohio"

2023 *Not Rated * 1h 21m I thought this film was a sweet little indie gem. It was absolutely charming. I've hear that the two leads wrote the film, then raised the funds to finance it, and struggled to find a distributor. As luck would have it, it's currently on Hoopla. I thought the acting was really good, it was well written, and the cinematography was decent. Sure, it was a little predictable, but what more do you want from a sincere, coming of age film? 

The movie is about Sam (Jessica Michael Davis) and JJ (Collin Kelly-Sordelet), two 18-yer olds who've just graduated from high school. They live in Akron, Ohio and have been best buds since they were little kids. The summer after graduation it dawns on them that they're in love. The problem is JJ enjoys living in Ohio and is prepared to spend the rest of his life there. Sam points out at the beginning of the movie that a lot of famous people are from Ohio. And it isn't because they're from there that their famous, but because they all chose to leave. So when she announces she's contemplating taking an internship in California, JJ decides to show her around the state to convince her it's a great place to live. 

I loved the fact that he takes her to offbeat places like a deserted old football field, and a abandoned bridge in a suburb that was never built. I'm from Detroit and love exploring old buildings from a bygone era too. I thought the chemistry between the two was quite convincing. They felt like they were truly in love. The movie was written by the two leads and was directed by Ms Davis. Overall, it's quite a fun movie and I can see great things ahead for these two!

If you're looking for a sweet little indie flick, be sure to check this one out. I hope they find a distributor for the movie so more folks get a chance to see it. Bravo!

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Hoopla free with your library card and to rent on Prime Video.



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