Someone Great

Written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Someone Great follows Gina Rodriguez’s Jenny Young as she attempts to get over a devastating breakup with the help of her two close friends (Brittany Snow’s Blair and DeWanda Wise’s Erin). First-time filmmaker Robinson delivers a solid drama that only grows more involving and more resonant as time progresses, as the picture, in its initial stages, comes off as perhaps just a little too quirky and sitcom-like in its execution (ie the three central characters are, at the outset, almost aggressively oddball and weird). It’s clear, then, that Someone Great benefits quite substantially from a progressively prominent emphasis on the emotional concerns of its protagonists, as Robinson’s somewhat episodic screenplay begins highlighting the individual exploits of the increasingly compelling heroes (eg Blair must confront her feelings for a possible paramour, Erin accepts that she has real feelings for her girlfriend, etc). The picture’s transformation from watchable to surprisingly engrossing is triggered by a superb third act rife with captivating sequences, which ultimately does confirm Someone Great‘s place as an impressive debut for a promising new director.

*** out of ****

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