Ingénieux

Just saw this film at the AFI Dallas Film Festival. I was very impressed with all elements of the film: acting, direction, editing (though the dialog transitions were sometimes a little shaky), cinematography, etc. Dallas Roberts (Matt) and Jeremy Renner (Sam), who had not worked together previously, establish an amazing on-screen chemistry as best friends struggling to run a novelty gift business. The dilapidated storefront they operate out of is the emblem of their entrepreneurial disconnect: high on energy and ideas, low on success. Ayelet Zurer, the smoldering Israeli beauty, plays Matt's long-suffering wife Gina with nuance and flair.

I would recommend this film not only to indie fans who like a fair amount of high-speed comedy mixed in with their drama, but also to *anyone* who has ever tried to run their own business, and really put themselves out on a limb for an idea or a dream.

All great films (and this is surely one of them) have a key line or scene that summarizes the film. Without giving anything away, I will tell you that in this film, it is the closing scene atop a mountain with Matt and Gina.

Jeremy Renner was at the screening for a Q&A. He was funny, quirky, and candid, much like his character in the film. I can't wait to see this guy in more vehicles, even the television series "The Unusuals" that he's making with Amber Tamblyn.

Two thumbs way up!

I saw "Ingenious," a fun movie made right here in Tucson, starring Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker, The Town, Bourne Legacy) and Dallas Roberts (3:10 to Yuma, the Grey, Shrink) and Ayelet Zurer (Munich, Man of Steel) about the challenges of breaking the big idea. It's a fun look at the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, and interpersonal dynamics as the quest for "the one" idea that wins, takes its toll.

Dallas Roberts delivers a convincingly conflicted performance, as "Matt," he struggles to satisfy his need to be creative, inventive and ingenious, and desperately loyal to his old friend, Sam, while his marriage is strained by these very traits. Matt's wife, Gina (Ayelet Zurer), is played with an earnestness that draws you in immediately. The two have great chemistry and deliver the key tension that drives the arc of Matt's story of growth.

Jeremy Renner's performance is authentic, and suffice it to say that you really feel for him and his inability to get out of his own way.

I had a chance to meet some of the production team, including local Tucson producer Timothy E. Flood who did an *amazing* job capturing Tucson in this film. It's great to see the landmarks so faithfully captured.

Jeff Balsmeyer's "Ingenious" focuses on a pair of inventors about whom I had never heard. Dallas Roberts and Jeremy Renner play the friends who are trying to find the next great innovation, a process that isn't without a few challenges. Their great achievement is something that looks as if it would be pretty neat to own. Sometimes when I see movies that look at these topics, it surprises me that I'd never heard of the subject (in this case the kind of bottle opener that they create). Now that I know about it I just might try to go out and find one of those bottle openers. In the meantime I recommend this movie. It's not a masterpiece but still worth seeing.

I saw this at a special showing at The Loft (one of the best independent theaters in the country) last month. While everyone in the theater had a special affinity with the film (it was shot entirely in Tucson and every street scene brought a gasp of familiarity from the audience), there was more to the buzz than just local pride. The story is believable and fun, and while some of the circumstances might have been exaggerated, the characters ring true and there is a wonderful spirit that flows through the entire production. It's the kind of film that doesn't seem to get made these days, and it sat in unedited limbo for quite a while waiting for financing to finish it up. I can see why, because the marketing will be tough since there is no obvious target audience. But when it shows up in wider spread distribution, go see it. It's an evening well spent.

This movie is terrific. The overarching story of one man's attempt to allow one excellent idea to flow through him from "the universal mind" was authentic, believable and thoroughly inspirational. The actors, the script and the setting were fresh and absolutely cool. The look of the film - sort of 70's-esque -, the script, and music were terrific. The movie was a bit choppy in a couple of places. The various story lines & scenes of the inventor, the friends, the romances, the family members all seemed bona fide. I absolutely loved the setting and dialogue. Overall, the freshness factor of this movie, the mostly excellent production, and the inspirational story make this a movie I will recommend to everyone I know.