Short review: I highly recommend it.
Do You See Colors When You Close Your Eyes? from LAB FILMS on Vimeo.
“Do You See Colors When You Close Your Eyes” is brave in all regards.
The film juxtapositions between Christian’s relationship with identical twin brothers Michael and Jonathan; one prior to his unexpected death, the other as they set off on a road trip together to spread the deceased one’s ashes. Christian attempts to recapture the lasting bond between his ex-lover and his twin brother, who just isn't quite the same. I’m sure some of the film's quarrels dealing with mixups are inspired by the real-life indentical twins behind the movie, Caleb and Joshua Young, who have created an interesting dynamic with the concept.
The movie runs like the memory of one who has been lost, and two souls who are trying to recapture that loved one’s life-- learning from one another on this bonding experience across the country. It’s raw and real, as if the camera is a spector, observing the lives of these characters, us right there with them.
Moments reminded me of strongly reminiscent movies like “Eternal Sunshine” or raw emotional elements like that of “Me And You and Everyone We Know”. At times we might feel like an outsider, looking in, but that’s not always a bad thing. Young sidesteps the many pitfalls the story could have taken, and wisely does not fill the film with unnesscary supporting characters. This movie is about it’s main leads, and anything more would have been a distraction. The other characters that do appear add to the dynamic just enough to make it work.
The visuals and musical soundtrack merge together to create the atmosphere that is set by the very real to life documentary-style cinematography. Strong, solid bits of dialogue, done in focused, singular shots let the characters and scenes play out, without too much distraction; punctuated by beautiful montages cut to moving music. One shot in particular moved me deeply, and could have gone completely wrong had it not been pulled off correctly. It involves what the title might suggest--the lighting, camera movement, and actor, Sean Frazier pull it off beautifully.
There are moments that didn’t totally work for me, but the filmmakers stay true to the characters and their lives, and ultimately the film succeeds because of it. It is a film of focused tone and atmosphere.
This is one of the best films that I’ve seen to come out of the (Bellingham) area, although that should not limit the film’s successes to just that. Caleb and Joshua Young have something to say, and this won’t be the last we hear from them.
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