Coasting

Coasting follows two strangers (Jonathan C. Legat’s Wes and Stephanie Wyatt’s Lauren) as they meet in a bar and strike up an easy conversation, with the obvious attraction between the pair coming to naught as they inevitably return to their lives (and their respective partners). A year later, Wes and Lauren, both unhappy in their careers and relationships, happen to meet again in the same bar and immediately take their encounter to his hotel room – yet the surreptitious couple’s happiness is eventually threatened by a rather unexpected revelation. Shot on a shoestring, Coasting boasts an amiable atmosphere that’s perpetuated on a relatively frequent basis by Legat and Wyatt’s strong work as the protagonists – with the actors’ palpable chemistry with one another ensuring that the viewer can’t help but root for their characters to ultimately wind up together. By that same token, however, there’s little doubt that the movie demonstrably suffers when the focus is taken off Wes and Lauren’s rocky romance – as director and cowriter Michael P. Noens proves unable to infuse the remainder of the proceedings with elements of a similarly compelling nature (and it certainly doesn’t help that both Wes and Lauren’s significant others are almost comically wrong for them). It’s consequently not surprising to note that the film’s third act, which is devoted primarily to the expected fake break-up, fares especially poorly, as the viewer can’t help but grow impatient for the central characters to realize what we already know (ie that they’re perfect for one another). Still, Coasting is, by and large, a satisfying romantic drama that benefits substantially from the charismatic work of its two stars – with Wyatt’s captivating turn undoubtedly standing as a consistent highlight within the proceedings (ie the actress delivers an impassioned speech at about the midway point that virtually justifies the movie’s entire existence).

**1/2 out of ****