In Search of a Midnight Kiss poster & wallpaper

Bret Roberts, Brian McGuire, Kathleen Luong

Twenty-nine-year old Wilson has just had the worst year of his life. He is new to Los Angeles; and onthis special night; he has no date, no concrete plans and every intention of locking the doors and ...( read more  read more... )forgetting that the past year ever happened--that is until his best friend, Jacob, browbeats him into posting a personal ad on 'Craig's List'. When Vivian, a strong-willed woman hell-bent on being with the right guy at the stroke of midnight responds, a chaotic, comedic journey through streets of L.A. begins.

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Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Alex Holdridge

Release Date: August 1, 2008

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Flixster Reviews (503)

  • EarthlyAlien
    January 1, 2009
    EarthlyAlien
    ''Welcome to L.A, embrace the pain.''

    Alex Holdridge's In Search of a Midnight Kiss, from his own screenplay, regards démodé downtown Los Angeles with the same fiercely lyrical affection Woody Allen has lavished on Manhattan over the decades. This alone woul...( read more)d make the film strikingly original, but in addition, its tempestuous love story, with its heartbreaking complications, is well served by a cast of comparative unknowns. This talented assemblage is headed by Scoot McNairy as Wilson, the director's alter ego, and Sara Simmonds as Vivian, the Diane Keaton-type: the salty-tongued blind date who leads Wilson on a wild frolic across the well-worn streets of a part of Los Angeles that has known better days and years and decades.

    Photobucket

    If Holdridge belongs to any school of filmmaking, it is the Austin, Texas, school of Richard Linklater, the Linklater of Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Suburbia, and Before Sunset. Linklater's and Holdridge's are the types of romantic comedies that can spend an entire film on a single date, as if a chance encounter can change one's whole existence, which often, if not always, happens in real life as well.

    Where Holdridge differs most decisively from Linklater is in the comparative foulness of today's youthspeak, though our male protagonist, Wilson, is 29, and Vivian, his stormy blind date, is 27. Whether all the profanity represents an increasingly widespread lewdness of speech in the young, or, simply, a more permissive atmosphere for a filmmaker, particularly an independent filmmaker, I cannot say.

    Fortunately, all the bad words are not merely camouflage for unintelligent dialogue. Quite the contrary. The talk in Midnight Kiss is uncommonly bright and realistic, a fact that gives me renewed hope for the future of so-called independent cinema.

    The film is set on New Year's Eve, already an absurdity in sunny Los Angeles. It has been a miserable occasion for Wilson over the past six years. He has become so desperate for a meaningful midnight kiss that he has been reduced to masturbating in front of a nude photoshopped photo of his best friend's girlfriend, Min (Katie Luong). What's worse: He's caught doing it by his roommate and friend, Jake (Brian Matthew McGuire), who proceeds to ask Min out of mild curiosity if that is indeed a picture of her. After looking at the photo with mock thoughtfulness for a few moments, she answers in the negative, though it is obviously her face. The important thing is that everyone remains cool about the situation, though Wilson, as is his wont, remains flustered in general.

    When I was in high school, someone told me that only 5 percent of the students masturbated, and the other 95 lied about it, and I have accepted these figures as gospel ever since. Yet films have seldom approached this practice except in the fringe exploitation genres. Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, films refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle. So, in a sense, Holdridge has started his protagonist off on an embarrassing note, and yet manages to save the character, and actually develop him into a quasi-heroic stoic navigating the treacherous shoals of deception and infidelity.

    Robert Murphy expertly photographed the somber ruins of a once vital downtown Los Angeles with many dazzlingly varied perspectives. Murphy also joins the cast as Vivian's insanely jealous ex-boyfriend, Jack, whom Vivian caught cheating on her with another woman, and was thus receptive to Wilson's personal ad on Craigslist. Wilson had been virtually bulldozed into placing the ad by a helpful Jake in the aftermath of the masturbation fiasco.

    At their first meeting, Vivian starts things off unpromisingly by asking Wilson to sit at another table while she interviews a speed-dating applicant waiting patiently. The logistics here don't make much sense, but the sheer outrageousness of Vivian and the situation is funny enough to make us forgive any lapses of logic and probability. In any event, the temporary delay in the meeting of Vivian and Wilson ends quickly in Vivian's somewhat cruel dismissal of a well-meaning lug who gains our sympathy by his abject need for encouragement in the game of love.

    Before Wilson receives his long awaited midnight kiss, the narrative unleashes two wild twists, which, for a change, I'm not going to give away. These make the film both sadder and wiser. In Search of a Midnight Kiss overcomes patches of overwriting to end up as a film well worth watching, and Alex Holdridge as a writer-director to be remembered for future reference.

    Photobucket

    Holdridge's gift as a director resides in his conflation of the mundane and the somewhat profound. He's obviously been on some first dates and knows the way a good - no, miraculous - one can wend its way into adventure. In the real world, that transformation takes a few nights and days. In romantic comedy, 24 hours will do. But even as romantic comedy, Midnight Kiss moves sideways. It's a work of old-school, black and white American independent filmmaking that falls somewhere between Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise and Kevin Smith's Clerks - not just because of the lack of both colour and money, but because its maker, on the one hand, exults in the atmospherically rich oddness of romantic possibility, and on the other, finds certain types of crudeness really funny. What I think makes this kind of films (John Carney's Once would fit here too) essential is the fact that it inspires and encourages hundreds of aspiring filmmakers like myself. And I like to think at least 5 percent of us will have stopped being aspiring in a few years.

    The quick symphony of locked lips that opens the film while Wilson introduces himself is, as everyone's figured out, a hat-tip to Manhattan. But Holdridge appears to have already figured out how to pay deeper, subtler tribute to Allen. A dual sequence in which Wilson and Vivian take the subway or another in which they stop for lunch are far more fun to watch. The film and its smart observations occasionally threaten to get away, never more so than when the phone rings - it's Vivian's brand-new ex-boyfriend, who seems as unstable as she sometimes does. He threatens to burn some of her stuff, and you're scared he'll take the rest of the film with it.

    But he doesn't. Holdridge gets a lot of mileage out of charm. His two stars are incredibly likable and that, in a film like this, is essential. McNairy seems incurably lonely and resembles other forlorn-looking guys, like screenwriter and actor Mike White and Andy Warhol actor Taylor Mead. He doesn't have much of a screen presence, but as the film spins into full-blown craziness, McNairy's sadness suddenly has a point: That long face becomes an anchor of sanity. Simmonds, meanwhile, is a captivating species of actor. She's Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson merged in one, a whiff of craziness, and some real struggle in her face. You're not sure you like her, in the same way that Wilson isn't sure he does. For a while, it looks as if she'll shove the film into other Manhattan territory: Martin Scorsese's comedy of bad-date surrealism, After Hours. But Midnight Kiss is a less ambitiously cruel film, and its fantastic ending (with Scorpions' "Wind of Change" popping in the soundtrack) leaves you with a strange feeling of hope.

    The film is, in the end, a far cry from the comedies of inarticulation and inaction that have won a backhanded video-story shelf. In Search of a Midnight Kiss is actually not about the chronically depressed and self-loathing, it's about active souls. The films gives us two transplants to Los Angeles who discover the city's underpopulated splendours while discovering each other. That they do most of this on foot constitutes a major leap of imagination. This is the rare film about the start of something interesting that happens to look a lot like the end of the world. And it feels so good.
  • AgentLexi2132
    November 28, 2008
    AgentLexi2132
    ''It's not just another kiss...''

    Broke and alone on New Year's Eve, Wilson just wants to spend the rest of a very bad year in bed. But, when his best friend convinces him to post a personal ad, he meets a woman bent on finding the right guy to be with at midnight.

    Sc...( read more)oot McNairy: Wilson

    Sara Simmonds: Vivian

    Told in a lush black and white, Indie flick Midnight Kiss results in one of the sleeper hits of 2008. Directed by Alex Holdridge he hits home with the fact that this is not some fantastic tale of epic proportions, but one thats firmly rooted into the entanglement of gritty, hard pressed life. It doesn't lie, it has no need, it's telling us a story of a man who's just had a terrible year and he's had enough. So it's time for a clean break, a fresh start...easier said than done.

    Main character Wilson, wonderfully played by Scoot McNairy shows us a main guy who's a tiny bit on the weird side. Strangely Wilson is first caught wanking over his mates girlfriend from an image he creates on photoshop, Midnight Kiss is a weird film, an indie film, and I loved it. Even better the film gets weirder and wonderfully impressive in its simplicity yet complexity.

    ''Please help us find whatever we are looking for tonight...''

    We proceed in getting two unlucky people who come together thanks to a myspace profile ad.
    Sara Simmonds as Vivian is the blind date Wilson ends up being with on New Years eve, and boy is she weird too, if you weren't afraid of Online Dating already then after this film you will be or hopefully you will be.

    Midnight Kiss proceeds to inject the proceedings of the day for the characters. Not just the main ones but his mate Jacob(Brian McGuire) and Jacob's cheater girlfriend Min(Kathleen Luong).
    We also see the relationship between Wilson and Vivian evolve over the day and their time together. Vivian will succeed in making some scoff at her apparent air pigheadedness or her hobby of taking pictures of shoes that happen to be single and abandoned, lost.

    ''Welcome to L.A, embrace the pain.''

    Some could say Midnight Kiss is a sort of echo of Woody Allen's Manhatten. Sure they could be right too in alot of regards. It's got that Black and white feel there that is used in Manhatten but plus the fact it's focusing it's energies onto relationships in general. The big similarity the relationship between the main two.
    Midnight Kiss however does give it's own unique blend of dilemmas and scenarios which you will find quite refreshing and original.

    Midnight Kiss overall is a huge success if you're into Indie films. This one is another that shouldn't be missed, and as soon as you begin to watch you become sucked into this black and white world you're enthralled by.
    Definitely true to life and most definably a life study of sorts.

    ''It's all the hope of romance culminating in just one moment...''
  • gor41
    November 6, 2008
    gor41
    Raw and honest portrayal of LA life with believable characters who reveal unexpected depths and emotion.
  • bort16
    October 29, 2008
    bort16
    Oh there are so many of these movies on the Indie scene. So many about being lost and wallowing in pity, so many lovelorn 30-somethings. And to be frank, a lot of those kinds of indie movies are not very good. Some are outright terrible. But that doesn't stop people from making t...( read more)hem. Why? Because those stories do ring true to many, many people. And that is why when those kinds of films get made with the quality of In Search of a Midnight Kiss they're quite lovable.
    Shot in black and white on a small budget (in the end, around 25 thousand) in a matter of days, not weeks, this spunky little charmer has a level of spontaneity and sweetness that elevates what could have been a lackluster affair into a good picture.
    The story is a modern one. Wilson has just moved to LA after being dumped by his girlfriend. On the way he's smashed his car, had his laptop stolen - on which he had a script he was planning to sell - and is out of work. He lives with his friend and his friend's girlfriend. The movie opens with perhaps one of most awkward scenes I've ever seen. When you see it, you'll know what I mean.
    After being goaded by his roomates, he places an obviously reluctant add on Craig's List, as a misanthrope seeking likewise. It's New Year's Eve after all, and who wants to be alone when the clock strikes midnight. He gets a reply from a strange girl, Vivian. She's interviewing guys that afternoon for a date - she doesn't want to give up her night to be with a loser. Wilson is taken aback, but meets her. She's even more strange in person, and shockingly bold. Things go awkwardly, but good, and she gives him til 6pm to impress her. They walk and talk in downtown LA. LA in black and white seems like an entirely different place. It's a crumbling place, its majestic old theatres left unoccupied. Eventually they grow closer, then apart after she chides him to make a confession to her, then is horrified by his answer. But he's persistent, and eventually they'll end up navigating crazy ex-boyfriends, adulterous friends and the midnight traffic together.
    This is a sweet little movie, filled with dialogue. It's sometimes trite, sometimes lovely, but always there. Movies like this live and die by their performances, and the leads are very nice here. Wilson is played by Scoot McNairy, who I imagine in real life is much like his character here. Sara Simmonds is quite beautiful in her strangeness. Her character is quite layered, and she gives a strong and winning performance.
    In Search of a Midnight Kiss was written and directed by Alex Holdridge, who claims that the movie is more or less autobiographical. It's about the ways in which human connection can save us all, especially the heartbroken. When Wilson's ex calls and leaves him a message, he cries, but his night with Vivian comforts him and shows him that even if it ends up just being a fling love is still alive and reachable.
  • wbgoose13
    January 1, 2009
    wbgoose13
    Charming low-key rom-com was better off in black and white, trust me on this.
  • Nighthawk246
    October 24, 2009
    Nighthawk246
    With a micro budget and a cast of no name stars this is a film that will go unnoticed by many and almost will be ignored by the masses due to its micro budget and lack of advertising. It's obvious that a lot of effort and care has been put into the making of this very involving f...( read more)ilm. Hopefully, it will beat the odds and find a wide and appreciative audience. It was certainly a pleasure watching such an engaging and enjoyable low budget romantic drama. A huge contrast in comparison to mindless big budget movies. The wonderful and well developed script was integral to this movie. The plot centers around a depressed writer and an eccentric girl who meet on New Years Eve after she answers his ad on Craigslist. Although, somewhat draggy in the middle the movie really picks as it goes along hitting it's mark on a perfect note at the end. Some moments of comedy occasionally come off as amateurish. Thankfully, this is not the focus of the movie. It's very emotionally open, honest and frank. More often than not the movie feels genuine in the way that the storyline develops and eventually concludes. Budget constraints are noticeable but don't significantly detract from the production.
  • jimibob
    September 8, 2009
    jimibob
    Well.... thanks for your recommendation
  • reynaldovelazquez1
    August 22, 2009
    reynaldovelazquez1
    Just Loved this Movie! =) extraordinary indie flick
  • ladyred30s205
    August 21, 2009
    ladyred30s205
    HOPE ITS CAN HAPPEND SOON. LOVE IT
  • scottydgibbs
    July 26, 2009
    scottydgibbs
    a good little indie drama, following a young wannabee screenwriter living in l.a. and his worries and experience on being single during newyears eve,and a date, he thinks couldbe the one, sort of like before sunrise, but not as romantic, shot inlush black and white, and showing a...( read more) romantic side to the city,

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Critic Reviews

October 18, 2008
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

What follows - walking, talking, flirting, fighting - is a charming piece of low-budget, improv-y filmmaking in the tradition of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise. full review

September 11, 2008
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

How incongruous that while veteran studio heads prepare slates of comic book movies, the slackers behind this $12,000 gem have made one of the most mature films of the year. full review

August 22, 2008
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

In Search of a Midnight Kiss isn't a homage or a recycling job. It's a film with its own organic existence, its own reason for being. It is ultimately a very true and moving story. full review

August 3, 2008
Kurt Loder, MTV

...a radiant romantic comedy full review

August 1, 2008
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Holdridge and his cast are going to get a lot of attention on Wilshire Boulevard. full review

August 1, 2008
Pete Hammond, Back Stage

A wholly original and funny movie with superior writing and wonderful performances. Honest,bittersweet and heartfelt. If you're in search of a memorable film experience, here is your choice. full review

July 31, 2008
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Boasts an endearingly idiosyncratic, unfussy vibe. full review

July 28, 2008
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker

To praise the beauty of this film is not enough; what lends it tension is that it's wrapped around people for whom beauty is at best an anachronism and at worst an embarrassing joke. full review

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