Ode to Passion

This was so much fun to watch. Even though it was two hours, it went by fast! Still humming,🎶 "Passion, Passion"🎶

Stumbled upon this on prime, and was really surprised at how good it was. Some really catchy songs, a good plot, definitely worth your time.

Very entertaining! Made me feel hapoy, mad, sad and hopeful. Great songs.

5 stars for originality! Who dares to write in verse, and on top it's a rock musical! A cool little indie movie. Honestly, I'd give it 4 stars, but because it's in verse and considering how well done it is on what looks like a micro-budget, you gotta give it some love!

Great movie. Have never seen anything like it. Loved the music and the ending! Must see!

Unique style with very catchy music. Worth the watch. Parents beware: Drugs and language.

If you take the poetic writing of "Goethe's Faust" and a story that blends the elements of what made "West Side Story," "The Last Five Years" and "La La Land" some of the best pieces of contemporary 21st century musicals, you get "Ode to Passion," a romantic rock musical that can considered one of the best and most original films of the year. With the release of this film during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's crazy to see how much has now changed between NYC then (the film was shot in 2017) and NYC now. The film tells of the star-crossed romance between Michael Fiorelli (Broadway actor Giuseppe Bausilio) and Sarah Andrews (Julia Nightingale), who meet and instantly fall in love at first sight. They are then, throughout the course of the film, forced to face the truth behind the curtain as Sarah's troubled past, including her continuing struggle with addiction, come to light. A subplot involves school teacher and Michael's friend, John Leroux (Jeff Smith, in a breakthrough performance) as he too has his own journey towards finding success and love. In terms of the performances: Giuseppe Bausilio's portrayal of Michael, from his first lines to his powerful final song sung in a church, is truly a performance that will lead to great things for him and is one worthy of an Academy Award. His character represents anyone who tries to find the answer to the question of "what is true love?" and audiences can easily relate to him and the struggle with his inner demons. Julia Nightingale is indeed a "nightingale" when she sings in her songs as Sarah and her on-screen chemistry with Giuseppe's Michael feels so believable, it's as if we are witnessing something real being documented before our eyes. Jeff Smith's performance of the song "Living In Your Dreams" as John is one of the film's shining moments and Victoria Meade and Marcus Harmon steal the show as Alexa and Richy respectively during their big solo songs as well. Jack Danini's decision to write the dialogue entirely in verse truly adds a "Romeo and Juliet"-style layer to the story, keeping with the melodic rhythm of the film's musical numbers and pacing, and enhancing the emotions of the characters. The cinematography and sound quality are unlike anything you can expect to see in a micro-budget independent musical film. The camerawork brings you into the moment, from the colorful lights of Times Square, to the haunting gold and red hues of a night club, showing us both sides of New York City: the everyday life and the dark underground. Although the first song comes in 14 minutes into the film, the musical numbers bring on the energy the film needs to succeed. Fans of "Rent," "Jagged Little Pill" and "Dear Evan Hansen" would love to add "Ode to Passion's" songs to their audition songbooks! So, if you're looking for something new and different while stuck in quarantine (as long as you can handle watching musicals), check out "Ode to Passion" if you can! A love story with the message that although maintaining a relationship is a struggle and there will be a price to pay, there is still hope.