- Starring
- John Hawkes, Miranda July, Miles Thompson
- Writer
- Miranda July
- Director
- Miranda July
- Rating
- R (United States)
- Running Time
- 91 minutes
Overall Score
Rating Summary
Me and You and Everyone We Know is a strange little film and the kind that doesn’t come out often. At first glance it’s actually a bit weird. As the film starts, it’s unclear what to expect, and some scenes, especially the one with the man flirting with the teenage girls, is especially creepy. But as the film progresses, the strangeness evolves into a thing of beauty, one that is even more commanding because it’s not flashy. It just is. And that is what this movie is all about.
Me and You and Everyone We Know tells the story of two loners, Richard (Hawkes) and Christine (July). While he is a shoe salesman; she helps older people around. They first met after Christine took one of her clients to get a new shoe for himself before becoming interested in him. However, Richard was not thinking of dating right now as he was going through a divorce and having to deal with his two kids, 7-year old Robby (Brandon Ratcliff) and 14-year old Peter (Miles Thompson). Peter is bullied by two classmates, Heather (Natasha Slayton) and Rebecca (Najarra Townsend) obsessed about sex and flirted with an older man who responded actively to their advances. On the other hand, Christine is trying to show her work at an important gallery in town but its creative director is not very interested in getting to know her work.
July directs the film with an almost laid-back approach. The story unfolds smoothly, taking us into the lives of the characters in small moments. Me and You and Everyone We Know doesn’t care about the big dramatic, energetic scenes. There is a contemplative nature to this film that makes it feel like we are almost watching a documentary. That’s because July is more interested in creating a naturalistic flow with the story than to make a more standard experience.
That doesn’t mean the film did not have powerful moments, because it certainly does. What July manages to do is to out the melodramatic nature of cinema, providing us with internal power. That beauty lies in seeing things unfold without rush or sparkles. Even when they are disturbing, like the creepy guy flirting with the girls, it is still interesting to watch because July restraint during these moments, nor her judgement of her characters. People like that exist, moments like those happen every day without us witnessing them or turning them into huge emotional moments with big scores and even bigger reactions shots. They come and go, sometimes not even having the meaning or power that we think they have because we are experiencing them with distance. It’s a tricky thing to pull off, and July manages to do so magnificently.
What helps July achieve that level of artistry is the unknown cast. Hawkes is probably the biggest name when you read it today, but 15 years ago he was not known at all. Working without distinguished faces helps create this level of immersion into the characters; we feel like we are following these people, not actors portraying these people, and that is vital for the type of experience July hopes we have while watching it.
In the end. Me and You and Everyone We Know is a nice little surprise. It’s not for everyone but those who like smaller intimate stories will probably enjoy it very much.
still courtesy of IFC Films
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