by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
When did you give up on chasing your dreams? Hopefully you are reading this and living your best life and living that dream. But most people dreamed of being an astronaut, a doctor, a filmmaker, and so many other things, but never really made it there. The clawing and fighting stage can be the most frustrating. Many people have resigned themselves to the idea that their dreams are just going to stay dreams. But there are so many others out there who are in the grind with that dream in sight… but it feels miles away. Writer/director Nicole Riegel’s new romantic drama, Dandelion, is a love letter to those living the dream grind.
Does the story that Riegel delivers capture this experience? It focuses on a young Black woman, Dandelion (KiKi Layne), who is an aspiring musician. She keeps her dream alive by playing, writing, and singing every day, while feeling stuck supporting her sick mother and making personal sacrifices, like her electric guitar. But she makes a brash go-for-broke final journey to Sturges for the big-time biker rally in South Dakota. There, she meets a talented Scottish musician, Casey (Thomas Doherty), and they start a fiery romance that seems too good to be true. This journey for Dandelion is full of big emotional moments between her mother, ignorant bystanders at her concerts, and this man who seems to be the one from her dreams. These big emotional beats add so much depth to the film. But there are also moments that feel absurd and ridiculous just to drive the story forward. The melodramatic elements take you out of the film for sure. There are also some obvious tropes and revelations that feel so obvious that they hurt the romantic elements of the film.
But what element of the film is always able to pull you back into the drama and emotion? The music. The highlights of the film are consistently the scenes where our characters are creating and/or performing their music. There is so much emotion and soul in every single performance. Layne brings a lot to Dandelion in those moments. You can feel and understand everything she is experiencing and pouring into her work. Her lyrics reflect her existence, and that is challenging for Casey in certain moments, as his situation does not always seem as available as he leads on. Their scenes creating music together, though, are poignant and powerful in the authentic expression that is shown on screen. There are a few uncomfortable moments, as Dandelion is heckled or interrupted during her performances. Riegel’s direction impactfully captures the tension and discomfort, and it advances thematic elements of Dandelion’s journey and frustrations. The final scene of the film tears the house down with a fiery and completely committed performance by Dandelion (and Layne as well). The catharsis is the poignant exclamation point the film needed.
What elements of Riegel’s film add the depth and layers that make it engaging? First off, the film is gorgeous to look at. Cinematographer Lauren Guiteras is able to capture the beauty of South Dakota in quite a few moments, while managing a warm light and shadows to perfection. Layne’s performance is rich and empathetic, as Dandelion goes on a tragic journey. Doherty does his job well, being the charming musician who is attracting the attention of Dandelion. His looks go a long way, and so does his charm, but he does get one specific moment to shine from an emotional standpoint. But the richness of the film certainly comes from its themes. The music creation process is on display and is being explored in engaging ways. Dandelion is writing to show her feelings and experiences no matter how uncomfortable they are. The authenticity does a lot of legwork to get the audience behind her, but Dandelion’s experience is cross-sectional as a young Black woman trying to break into the business in a meaningful way. This is not lost, but also not deeply explored either.
Does Dandelion deliver on both its drama and romance? The drama centered around a dream to be a musician is a lot more effective in than the romance. There are elements of the film that are too familiar, and the romantic tropes are tired and predictable (even with some fiery and passionate scenes to boast). The real heart and soul of the film is the creative journey that Dandelion goes on, and the drive she needs to rediscover to succeed. That works so well that you can get past some familiar romantic beats and still appreciate the depth and impact of this story.
Rating: Liked It
Dandelion is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd