The Best Hollywood South-Independent Film of the Year is 'Open'

The Gulf South’s master of the macabre breaks new ground with a cute new musical.

Dear Moviegoers,

I hesitate to call actor, writer, and director Miles Doleac’s (who recently starred in Renfield) latest film Open a comedy, but it is very funny. I pause before comparing the movie to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which the advertising campaign for it does, but it is very visual and very colorful. And lastly, I won’t stop myself from calling Open the best independent Hollywood South flick of the year, even though it’s November.

Doleac, whose previous features have been horrors of deliciously demented delicacies, tries his hand at a quirky musical thriller - and the result is completely darling and truly absorbing. I found myself, many times, wanting to live in its world, where each movement is momentous and every conversation has charm. Not to mention, of course, dreams and hallucinations involve glam rock fantasies.

Real-life couple Lindsay Anne Williams and Miles Doleac lead Open as wife and husband Kristina and Robert who, after some relationship struggles and personal tragedy, mutually decide to safely date other people within pre-established boundaries. They are “open” at the beginning of the tale, in other words. While Robert plays things safe with a close friend, Kristina goes bold by hooking up with a faded television teenage hunk Erik, played by Jeremy London. Boundaries, way sooner than later, break apart for Kristina, who deals with everything through performing in her subconscious rock concerts. Attachments, obsessions, reality, passion, and love all come together to make Open such a memorable watch.

And the film isn’t exciting simply because it’s a departure for Doleac. It’s an extremely impressive and very surprising watch due to the stripping away of the expectations of genre, blending the best of all categories into one piece. The domestic drama at the heart of Open is fairly straightforward, but the way it’s told and the atmosphere in which it breathes give the story the kind of life that only a movie can. Part of this is the result of cinematographer Nathan Tape’s immersive and clever filmmaking, as well as, of course, the script by Doleac and Williams. Every movie is a personal effort, but Open must’ve been a particularly interesting endeavor for the two of them, to say the least. I could speculate about what the couple brought to the story from their real relationship, but that might be best suited for a podcast.

While Open is technically a musical, the songs aren’t really what’s important to the heightened emotional core of the film. For all of the razzle-dazzle of Kristina’s dream band - made up of everyone else in her life - what’s of most honesty is how Kristina thinks of them and how they’re behaving with one another, in her mind, that matters most of all. Open is a kind of anti-musical in this way, but the songs are still fun and enjoyable.

And there is finesse in this film, primarily when it comes to the acting, all across the board. Miles himself dials things closer to the chest while maintaining some of his trademark intensity, Lindsay Williams approaches Kristina as down to Earth but always looking up to the sky, and Jeremy London - who has called Open one of his favorite projects - absolutely kills his role as the ex-celebrity filled with neediness and desperation, crafting not-so-much empathy for him but for sure a lot of sad pity. London is great here and should be very proud of what he does.

Sometimes there is camp, sometimes there is drama, but always is it entertaining. Immensely entertaining. Open is my favorite of Doleac’s movies and is certainly a contender for independent cinema awards - at least, that’s how I see things. Recommended? Without hesitation. 5/5

Open is currently in limited theatrical release and will be available on-demand and on DVD this month.

Sincerely Yours in Moviegoing,

⚜️🍿

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