A Brilliant Conflict

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I loved this film. Just loved it.At a time when indie filmmaking is focused almost exclusively on naturalistic films, Birds of Neptune, with its dream like world using dashes of fantasy escapes the typical indie cinema tropes. It has layers of complexity meshed together with visuals and sounds scapes and a tone that goes from meditative to hard hitting at just the right points. It's a beautiful lush film with a director, cinematographer, and art director who have a strong grasp on the cinematic.The performances are electrifying too. With great work from the three starring leads and a fantastic supporting role from Lauren Luiz. Reminds me a bit of the dreamy worlds of Jarmusch, Lynch and perhaps a tinge of the real in Larry Clark.

Except instead of Tommy, you have a bisexual hipster rapist who is TEARING ME APART. And instead of cancer, there's an abortion -- used here as shorthand for "meaningful pain the lead endures" because how else will we know that the film is over if she doesn't drive away from the PP clinic and gaze wistfully into the horizon, music swelling as if to say "she's gonna make it, by golly". Maybe it's possible to make a film where the lead character has an arc with well written development OR you could just have her get raped and have an abortion.I mean, if I wanted to watch aimless 20-somethings drink microbrews on a dirty porch, I'd take my dog for a walk in SE Portland. Great music, though.