Me, You And Everyone We Know

In “Me, You and Everyone We Know”, writer/director/star Miranda July presents a tale of love and family that can only be summed up in one word: quirky. John Hawkes stars as Richard, a newly separated father of two who is trying to find something amazing in his life. July plays Christine, a lonely wannabe-artist who drives cabs for the elderly and does not seem to have any family, aside from one of her clients.

Christine and Richard meet in the department store he works at and she quickly begins pursuing him, while he is still sorting out what it means to be separated. Richard’s two children basically take care of themselves and have a very funny subplot about Internet sex chats. Let me put it this way, the youngest boy, about 8 or 9, writes to someone on the Internet – “I want to poop back and forth”. Wait till you hear what that means. There are some other subplots that don't seem to really connect with the main story, but help to flesh out the world that is being presented by July.

This movie has a very strange but warm sense of heart. At first, you’re not sure to take this as a drama or a comedy. But in the end, I see it as a slice of life, full of absurd moments and stilted relationships. And as strange and quirky as the movie was, I ended up rooting for the different characters. Even with the weirdness and all-too-neatly woven subplots, the characters still grew on me.

If you like independent cinema, this is for you. If quirky, oddly-motivated characters annoy you, go check out something at the multi-plex. I’d say crack open one of the Old Styles in your 6-pack because this gets a 3 out of 5 from me.