Rating: 9/10

Director, Writer: Joseph Infantolino
Cast: Lee Tergesen, Melanie Lynskey, Paul Fitzgerald, Dominic Fumusa, Dagmara Dominczyk

I'm going to try to say this without coming off completely hokey, but I'd like to consider myself a sensitive soul. I study English Literature, read Shakespeare, have a cat, and can be seen crying at commercials. Despite this wonderful feature of my personality (I promise I'm cool), I always like to maintain a critical distance while watching films I'm reviewing so I can fully appreciate what's on the screen, and analyze everything it's trying to say. But every once in a while, there comes a film that completely sweeps me off my feet and makes me dive head first into its plot and characters. HELENA FROM THE WEDDING is one of those films.

As I sat in the theater I couldn't help but squirm in my seat and become uncomfortable as the events unfold. The film presents scenes that are ripe with tension while remaining completely enrapturing. Paired with subtle humor that only highlights the characters' humanness, HELENA FROM THE WEDDING was easily one of my favorites of the festival.

From first time director (and writer of the film) Joseph Infantolino, HELENA FROM THE WEDDING centers on a group of seven friends who have traveled up to newlywed Alex (Lee Tergesen) and Alice's (Melanie Lynskey) cabin to celebrate New Year's Eve. But when Helena, an acquaintance that truly could not be forgot, joins the party by surprise, an unexpected tension arrives with her. Forcing Alex and company to really question just what the hell they're doing with their lives.

HELENA FROM THE WEDDING is a film centered around its characters and how their own thoughts and actions move the narrative of the film (there are very little outside forces to push them). With a film that focuses so much on the characters, it's more than important to establish the right chemistry on set, and employ a group of actors who are capable of rightly executing Infantolino's words without appearing "too indie" or overact their lines. And the actors from HELENA FROM FROM THE WEDDING excel in this ten-fold.

Although the entire ensemble of HELENA is incredible together, the performances given by Lee Tergesen and Melanie Lynskey are some of the best I've seen in a long time. Lynskey (who is no stranger to indepedent films) perfectly captures Alice's wariness towards her husband's relationship with Helena, while trying to remain optimistic about love and marriage (despite the negativity towards such in her environment). Even though Lynskey exquisitely captures some of women's less than desirable feelings, it is Lee Tergesen who steals the show.

At the festival, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Lee and fellow actor Paul Fitzgerald. While we were talking I turned to Lee and said, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but you made me hate and love Alex," to which he could only laugh at. Alex is a man who is always between jobs and is always searching for the missing piece (literally), and Tergesen truly becomes him. He embraces all of Alex's flaws and delivers them in a way that is so awkward and aggravating but completely realistic. Tergesen's is a performance I truly hope does not go unnoticed.

Yet the film is not without message, HELENA reflects on themes of marriage, starting over (they're celebrating a New Year, what better time to shed your bad habits) and growing up. Each of the couples are in different stages of their marriage, and the film provides a shockingly frank look at the institution; bringing up the question of honesty between partners and how hiding problems under a facade of happiness can only make things worse. It's a stark and brutal look at an institution that is mainly romanticized in film and I couldn't appreciate it more for that.

Despite this direct commentary on marriage, overall the film is very hopeful. One character in the film asks "Do we celebrate the year past or the coming new year for New Year's?" to which one replies "Both." And it was a moment that really struck a chord with me. HELENA urges its audience to stop searching for what we don't have and to embrace everything around us and celebrate it. Something I think people need to be reminded of every once in a while.

I told you I was a sensitive soul.