Peter and Vandy (2008)

63% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
52% of users liked it
(843 ratings)

One couple's stormy relationship is examined out of chronological order in this drama written and directed by Jay DiPietro, adapted from his play. Peter (Jason Ritter) and Vandy (Jess Weixler) meet when both are college students; they fall in love and live together for a while, but on a certain… More One couple's stormy relationship is examined out of chronological order in this drama written and directed by Jay DiPietro, adapted from his play. Peter (Jason Ritter) and Vandy (Jess Weixler) meet when both are college students; they fall in love and live together for a while, but on a certain fundamental level they're never fully comfortable with one another, and eventually they go their separate ways. But rather than tell their story from beginning to end, Peter and Vandy jumps back and forth in time, with the couple midway through their romance before we've seen their first date. DiPietro allows us to see how the flaws in their relationship -- Peter's discomfort around Vandy and their habit of bickering about petty things -- were present at the beginning, lurking around the corner even in their happiest moments. Peter and Vandy received its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Jay DiPietro
Written By: Jay DiPietro
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Oct 9, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Feb 9, 2010
Studio: Strand Releasing

Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
Jess Weixler (Teeth) is particularly lovely as Vandy, even when the mild young woman has to endure her beloved's screaming criticism of her sandwich-making methods.
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter
Small gem features two star-making performances.
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
More a designer frame for actors than nourishing entertainment.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Despite two very ap pealing leads in Jason Ritter and Jess Weixler, Jay DiPietro's bittersweet romantic comedy Peter and Vandy is yet another graduate of Sundance's Class of '09 that doesn't live up to its initial promise.
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times
Their "authenticity" frequently trumps their ability to engage us.
Rex Reed, New York Observer
It's a short, 95-minute ride on its way to home video. This is a shame, because the two actors in the title roles are real comers on their way to bigger things.
Kim Voynar, Movie City News
This is a lovely, charming film with a slow burn that sneaks up on you.
Erik Davis, Cinematical
Whenever a romance flick aspires to be more than stupid sex gags and over-the-top waterworks, then that's when I'll advise you to stand in line for a ticket.
Steve Ramos, Boxoffice Magazine
Arguing over take-out food, Weixler makes Peter and Vandy a love story that, while not always lovely to watch, is consistently compelling.
Sam Adams, AV Club
The movie's saving grace is Weixler, who manages to seem effortlessly natural without resorting to whiny faux naturalism. As she did in Teeth, Weixler grounds an otherwise glib conceptual exercise through the force of her presence.
Geoff Berkshire, Metromix.com
Flirts with indie-filmmaking-by-the-numbers but still manages a refreshingly clear-eyed look at relationships.
Marshall Fine, Hollywood & Fine
Touching and insightful, a film that understands what that first whoosh of emotion in a relationship feels like %u2013 and how quickly love can change and vanish.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
The only enjoyment of watching inarticulate modern day American love birds Peter (Jason Ritter) and Vandy (Jess Wexler) interacting in Manhattan, comes from deciding which one is more insufferable.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
An enticing romantic drama with an assured and sexy performance by Jess Weixler.
Karina Longworth, Time Out New York
Activities that were cute and fun at the beginning, we see, ultimately become tedious. The novelty of the film's gimmick follows suit.
Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine
Peter and Vandy implements the time-shuffling love story with more poetic technical aplomb than any other film this year, but its flaws inadvertently fashion a cogent argument against the formula as well.
Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve
The picture to see if you like your romances to be less like that or Romeo and Juliet and more like that of Peter and Vandy.
Joshua Tyler, CinemaBlend.com
Great acting and smart writing make up for whatever the film lacks in Hollywood polish. Seek it out.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jim H

Essentially, this film is a very basic love story, filled with all the requisite elements of a modern romantic comedy. The couple gets together, breaks up, and ... well, can you guess the end? But it clings to non-linear story-telling as though Tarantino-esque tricks will save it… More
Essentially, this film is a very basic love story, filled with all the requisite elements of a modern romantic comedy. The couple gets together, breaks up, and ... well, can you guess the end? But it clings to non-linear story-telling as though Tarantino-esque tricks will save it from the seventh ring of cliche hell. To some degree the fractured scenes kept me engaged, but it was only to the extent that I was trying to place the characters in time. If it were made next year, I would have said that this film is a cheap imitation of Blue Valentine. But whereas Blue Valentine juxtaposed the two stories to stunning effect in order to climax the joining and the separation at the same time, there is no such order to Peter and Vandy. The reasons for the time shifts are never readily apparent and don't add to the film's dramatic effect. Additionally, the peanut butter and jelly scene attempts to either be brutal in the the tradition of Closer and Scenes from a Marriage or funny in the tradition of Hannah and Her Sisters, but Peter's reaction to the way Vandy makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (with two knives though only one is necessary in Peter's view) is so over-the-top that we end up losing respect for both characters. Peter's loud, profane diatribe is at times quite scary, and when Vandy stays with him, we can't help but wonder why. Overall, this isn't a film with anything new to say or any new way to say it.
Walter M

"Peter and Vandy" is an endearingly perceptive movie that makes great use of New York City locations, especially the overhead shot of the benches. Told in a nonsequential fashion, the movie does a good job of showing how a relationship may not always survive the initial… More
"Peter and Vandy" is an endearingly perceptive movie that makes great use of New York City locations, especially the overhead shot of the benches. Told in a nonsequential fashion, the movie does a good job of showing how a relationship may not always survive the initial attraction. Take Peter(Jason Ritter) and Vandy(Jess Weixler) for example. They meet sort of cute one day during lunch when she has jury duty. The first meeting when he approaches her does not go off that well, but the second one does with an assist from the New York Times crossword puzzle. But that's about the only time they are on the same page. Usually their not being in sync comes down to differences in appetites, be they gastronomic or carnal.(There's also an inference that they come from and are heading to different places.) While eating outside may usually be a fine idea, doing so during winter is not an especially appealing one.
Sarah B

Excellent film! I wasn't expecting a lot out of this film given that I wasn't familiar with either of the actors or the director but I really enjoyed it. If you like honest films about relationships then you will love this.
Lovable M

Simple, but very real and believable.