Charlotte Sometimes (2002)

82% of critics liked it
(44 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(598 ratings)

Four twentysomethings living in the hip L.A. suburb of Silverlake struggle with love, lust, and ennui in this independently produced feature, nominated for two 2003 Independent Spirit Awards. Taking its title from the Cure song of the same name, Charlotte Sometimes concerns the shadowy existence of… More Four twentysomethings living in the hip L.A. suburb of Silverlake struggle with love, lust, and ennui in this independently produced feature, nominated for two 2003 Independent Spirit Awards. Taking its title from the Cure song of the same name, Charlotte Sometimes concerns the shadowy existence of Michael (Michael Idemoto) and Lori (Eugenia Yuan), next-door neighbors who form an intimate -- if sexless -- friendship. Lori, committed to her sexually carnivorous boyfriend, Justin (Matt Westmore), but more emotionally connected to Michael, tries to convince her platonic neighbor to find a girlfriend. Fed up with his unrequited love for Lori, Michael does just that, hooking up with the dark and mysterious Darcy (Jacqueline Kim). But as Michael navigates his budding romance with Darcy, jealousies erupt with the other couple, and the secrets the co-eds withhold from each other threaten to break the two relationships apart. Written, directed, and edited by first-time filmmaker Eric Byler, Charlotte Sometimes had its premiere at the 2002 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Eric Byler
Written By: Eric Byler
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: May 2, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Sep 30, 2003
Studio: Visionbox Pictures

Critic Reviews

Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
May not be gripping in conventional ways, but it's daring.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
A smartly made, hedonistic spectacle of alluring, nubile characters, sun-warmed narcissism and breathtaking color.
Megan Lehmann, New York Post
It's a hushed work of restrained emotions, elliptical storytelling and spare dialogue, peopled with smart, authentic characters who have drawn you into their lives before you know it.
Dave Kehr, New York Times
A tiny film that reflects a large talent.
Dennis Lim, Village Voice
Whether or not it's a pose, the film's poised reticence is refreshing in context -- a rebuke to the contemporary crop of blabbermouthed American indies.
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
Eric Byler demonstrates a refreshing trust in his material and his audience, crafting a compact, intriguing drama from understated performances and a subtle visual sensibility.
Dan Lybarger, Nitrate Online
Dry but occasionally interesting independent feature.
Jeffrey Chen, Window to the Movies
This and other movies like it seem to say love is complicated and can cause much misery, but that never strikes me as insightful.
Frank Ochieng, Movie Eye
Fittingly probing, sensual, mysterious and raw. Byler's exposition is vastly taut, revealing, and firmly perceptive. Charlotte Sometimes radiates with invigorating absorption
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
'Charlotte Sometimes' elicits no more than restlessness.
Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt
Though the themes aren't exactly groundbreaking, they're executed skillfully enough to make the movie well worth seeing - for fans of the genre, at any rate.
Mike D'Angelo, Time Out New York
The film's nervous reticence makes it both precious and a little unwieldy, like a matchstick palace built on a subway platform.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
a rarity in American films
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
As an antidote to talky American indies involving twentysomething romantic conundrums, Charlotte Sometimes hits just the right note.
Emily Blunt, Blunt Review
Charlotte Sometimes nails the subtle psychotic element that circles budding relationships.
Laura Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The foursome of actors, especially actresses Yuan and Kim, fill their portrayals with a smoldering, sometimes desperate, yearning.
Marta Barber, Miami Herald
Sometimes engaging, sometimes amusing and ultimately surprising.
Kim Morgan, Oregonian
An erotic mystery of sorts, the film works because it's laconic rather than talky and its actors are all up for the material.
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
It features plenty of hushed moments that suggest the presence of nuances that never really emerge from its murky tone.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A romantic but nevertheless clear-eyed look at the things we do for love.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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paul s

Charlotte Sometimes is an indie film, shot with a 20,000 budget that is a masterwork of cinematography, expertly using camera,color and lighting. The story involves four late 20's early 30's adults and concentrates on all the lies we tell to others and ourselves,… More
Charlotte Sometimes is an indie film, shot with a 20,000 budget that is a masterwork of cinematography, expertly using camera,color and lighting. The story involves four late 20's early 30's adults and concentrates on all the lies we tell to others and ourselves, especially in areas of the heart. At the center is Michael, a lonely, quiet man who inherited his uncles' home and car repair business (more that he was the last man standing than anything else, as the rest of his relatives either didn't want the business or had moved away). Michael has renovated the home into two apartments, so he has tenants to cover his expenses. He rents to a cohabitating couple who have been together for 10 months. In his lonliness he can hear their carnal carrying ons, which only add to his sense of detachment. He believes that he is in love with the woman, but since they are good friends, doesn't want to ruin the friendship with a confession of his feelings. Into this odd triangle comes another woman, Darby, who attracts not only Michael, but the male renter. What then insues revolves around betrayals and secrets, of which I'm not going to speak further. The beauty of this film is that we are introduced to the charactors slowly, letting the viewer learn about them, just as the other charactors on screen are learning. What is ultimately revealed is a very impressive depth to three out of the four charactors, who are all flawed, yet very real in their feelings and motivations. The lighting is exquisite throughout, often accentuating the mood, and the clever use of camera angles adds depth without being showy and detracting from the content. There is a beautifully filmed sequence that takes place outside of a cheap motel. A man's soul is brought into question, and as he enters his car to ponder what level he has sunk to, the car's interior lights slowly fade, dimming his face until he is a shadowed silhouette. The title of the film inferes something important, and perhaps I took the meaning in the wrong way; though it was interesting to see that, while I may have been mistaken, in a way I was not; as who we are is subject to change given who we are with and the environment that surrounds us. The person we show to others may or may not be who we truly are - the reasons for the falsehood may be medical, or perhaps just a safety net, keeping us from suffering. We think we control the spin, but in reality the spin often controls us. Charlotte Sometimes explores these boundaries with a sure hand, while leaving us to decide exactly what will happen after the film fades to black.
Mark A

A strange kind of love story. This left the viewer bewildered. Too much left unsaid for this viewer to be able to figure out what happened. Of this much, I am sure: there was more to this than what appeared on the surface. Deception and infidelity and longing and past loves all… More
A strange kind of love story. This left the viewer bewildered. Too much left unsaid for this viewer to be able to figure out what happened. Of this much, I am sure: there was more to this than what appeared on the surface. Deception and infidelity and longing and past loves all combined to make this very hard to decipher. And the ending leaves things ambiguous so that we can only guess how they turned out. A beautifully shot, quiet film that leaves more questions than it answers.