Film Review: INSIDE THE RAIN
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This underdog rom-com is pretty endearing and feels believable, with a dorky lead character, Benjamin Glass. who is clearly a mess. As played by the director and writer, Aaron Fisher, it is clearly a personal story as he is thoroughly versed on every aspect of his characters challenges, which include OCD, ADHD, bi-polar and borderline personality. Ben is very upfront about it all as he has agreed to specific arrangements in order to get accepted to a new college as a transfer student in the department of filmmaking.
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He prefers to refer to his condition as “recklessly extravagant” a reference he compares to Odysseus from the Iliad. His grandiosity masks his vulnerability which manifests itself when he decides to take a dangerous quantity of pills after a one- night stand turns out to be just that. His overdose and hospitalization set off alarms in the college and bring him into the office of a mandatory shrink played by a no nonsense Rosie Perez, who seems to totally “get” Ben, who nonetheless does not always listen to her or follow her advice. When the one-night stand checks on Ben and sees him organizing his vast arsenal of pills, she mistakenly believes he is planning another suicide and informs the school authorities, who are understandably appalled and throw him out. Ben pleads for an appeal, which he will present in the form of a film which will demonstrate his innocence as well as his brilliance as a film student.
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This story within a story involves an encounter with a stripper/call girl named Emma (Ellen Toland) who Ben cajoles into playing the lead. Also roped into the scheme is Monty, a hyped-up, dubious film producer played with gleeful lunacy by Eric Roberts. The pressure to find the $5000 to pay for the film result in some very funny episodes as time is running out. His relationship with Emma comes close to meaningful but Ben’s erratic behavior, as usual, gets in the way. And as an argument for re-admission the film is an unmitigated and misguided failure.
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But somehow the whole experience gives Ben a sense of himself which keeps him from being brought down and he picks himself up and starts over. The final scene cuts forward and shows Ben on the street as he encounters a girl he met in the psych ward. Ben has just graduated from college with an art degree. Both former patients seem fairly stable and normal and there is a spark between them as they walk off together to have a coffee. There is reason for optimism.
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All of the characters are well written and sensitively directed. Ben’s parents (Catherine Curtin and Paul Schulze) have just right balance between embarrassing parental affection and tolerance. Aaron Fisher’s Ben really grows on you and inspires empathy and possibility. There is a jaunty soundtrack and a charming indie film quality which I quite enjoyed.
