Peter and Vandy

Tagline: A love story in disorder.

So, I wanted to see this movie because it’s an indie romance which I’m always drawn to. Not to mention Jason Ritter is in it who is one of my favorite indie leading men. The story follows a tumultuous relationship between Peter and Vandy ( Jess Weixler ) from when they meet one day while eating from the same New York City Chinese food vendor to their break-ups and make-ups during their relationship. The story is not linear and weaves throughout the story much like 500 Days of Summer.







The story is sweet and shows what relationships are really like, contrary to what the major studios would have us believe. These two characters are completely believable and the entire movie is devoted to their relationship, nonetheless we find deep character development. The story goes back and forth throughout different parts of the relationship to contrast what we know about them as couple and I don’t the story would have been as genuine or even interesting if it was told in a linear fashion. This is probably one of the most accurate accounts of a real life relationship with its beautiful sweet moments and ugly moments as well. There was a lot of smart humor in this movie. I even found myself laughing during the PB&J scene which contained probably the worst fight of their relationship due to the subtle humor in everyday life that was written into the script.






The two leads were cast perfect for each other. Jason Ritter was perfect and embodied the role of Peter. He showed us his weaknesses and flaws. Even at his worst we understood where he was coming from and empathized. I’m beginning to think there is nothing Jason Ritter can do. He flies below the radar but I think he’s amazing and I hope he stays in the indie arena because he’s so versatile and I’m excited to see what he’s going to do next. Jesse Weixler was also great for the role of Vandy. She did a good job of showing us her strong independence yet her softer vulnerable side at the same time. She looks so recognizable and I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything else. It may just be that she reminds me of a younger Winona Ryder with the same chemistry and passion. These characters were complex and very hard to pull off but I really think the leads were cast very well and they did carry the entire movie.






The movie was cut perfectly. A script with this many jumps in time is hard to keep in cohesion with the script but it was done perfectly to not create confusion, or too much at least. We learned what we needed to know at the right moments and elements were brought back in and juxtaposed at the right time as well. I really enjoyed the editing. I think it was a mixture of the script and the great editing that kept the cohesion in place.






With that being said, this movie does feel like the lower budget simpler version of 500 Days of Summer. It doesn’t have the quirkiness, fun, or pace of 500 Days of Summer, but the basic elements are there. I would actually put this movie somewhere in-between 500 Days and Flannel Pajamas. This movie was written and directed by Jay DiPietro, and to top it off this was his first film. I think he did a great job. I enjoyed the movie but I would not say it’s better or even on the same level of 500 Days. It simply is reminiscent of that movie. I don’t think everyone who liked 500 Days will like this movie as it is quite a bit slower and less suspenseful. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys quirky romances and especially movies that center on one relationship with two main leads that carry the movie. I should also mention that the soundtrack is great but that seems to be a requirement for a quirky indie these days.