by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Sometimes you just need a straightforward and effective drama to get those movie lover juices going, right? In a world of shared cinematic universes and longstanding connected franchises, it can be a nice bit of fresh air to experience a film that is down-to-earth and just a human tale. There can be a little tension, a little suspense, and romance that can really solidify that drama and make it a worthwhile experience. Those kinds of movies are few and far between nowadays, but that hard luck might be wrapping up with the arrival of Hard Luck Love Song.
What makes writer-director Justin Corsbie’s new music-infused drama a special film to get excited about? This is a raw and rough tale that has a gritty and poignant feel. When that tension boils to the top, you feel every bit of it. There is no fluff in these proceedings. There is not overly melodramatic nonsense along the way. Corsbie knows how to drive forward with a raw and emotionally resonant experience. When yells start flying — or fists for that matter — Hard Luck Love Song delivers a pop that will grab your attention and see it all the way through. The flair does not have to be large because this humanistic story does all the selling. Our protagonist, Jesse (Michael Dorman), plays games with potentially dangerous people and performs music for those who really matter. The world is lived in and the motel and bars that make up most locations feel down and dirty. We can feel the world that Jesse inhabits and feel the financial struggle that is his reality.
When there are not many frills to throw around for its audience, how does Hard Luck Love Song grab them and keep them on this shaky ride? The performances. Without committed and quality performances, all this human drama will never feel genuine or real. Dorman is saddled with most of the work in this one. His Jesse makes up most scenes and is expected to carry the narrative through. He shows tough behavior and wiliness as he must escape the tough situations he creates for himself (especially when dealing with his former peers). When he finally gets the love of his life, Carla (Sophia Bush), back into his presence, he really sells himself. Over the course of the film, Dorman can balance the shades of emotion that is expected of him. Bush has real solid chemistry with Dorman and the highlights of the film are from their meetings. They have a real spark, and the narrative takes strong turns when Dorman and Bush have time to explore these characters together.
Corsbie creates a strong atmosphere for his characters, but how does the narrative sell this story? There are definitely a few too many strings threaded through this film, including some iffy experiences and procedures. There are certain characters who realistically are not the best fit for certain places. Some loose threads find their ways back to our protagonist, including an angry and intimating performance, Rollo, which finds Dermot Mulroney in a tough guy role gets to shine a bit but for most of them felt like an afterthought. The screenplay gets a little convoluted and shaky in the third act with new characters being thrown in from the likes of Eric Roberts and (especially) RZA. But does that sink the film? No, because there is enough emotion and human connection here to really sink your teeth into.
So… are you ready for a film with a different speed? A different feeling? A more human connection? Hard Luck Love Song has you covered in emotion and music. Not quite a musical and not quite a full-blown romance, this film draws on those beats and delivers a moving new spark to a relationship long lost. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this rekindling with some raw and poignant emotion.
Grade: B