Sundance Review: THE FREEBIE

A young couple, played by Katie Aselton and Dax Shepherd, feel something is missing from their marriage.  They each decide one evening over long, bedroom debate to give the other one night for themselves.  They can go out.  They can go home with anyone they choose.  There will be no consequences.  Thus is the central, simple premise to THE FREEBIE, the directorial debut of Aselton and an incredibly honest and oftentimes very funny look at relationships, the things we believe are missing from our lives, and the sense of never, fully understanding what you have until it has moved on, left, or been altered forever.

The central characters here, Annie and Darren, are not struggling in their relationship.  Far from it.  The interspersed images over the opening credits show such loving acts as Annie crouching beside Darren, holding onto his leg as he brushes his teeth, not exactly a “must do” in many relationships.  These two have deep affection for one another.  They just get the sense, mostly from their hipster friends, that you shouldn’t be tied down to just one person for the rest of your life.  This opening, dinner table conversation is the spark that ignites the rest of the film, and the aftermath of their “one night” is staggering.

Aselton has complete control over her characters, giving ample amounts of time between Darren, Annie, and the couple as a whole.  The film is told in non-linear fashion, an indie trick that seems to be more and more prominent in these low budget romantic comedies.  It isn’t just a gimmick here, and seeing parts of the events after their night apart before we actually see the night helps build the tension all around.  The scene where Annie and Darren are debating the possibilities of whether they should or shouldn’t go through with it is cut up and strewn throughout the film, always giving us the inclination of happier times, always showing us precisely the love that lay between them before they came under the belief something was missing.

Aselton’s direction, her balance between the two characters is even more noteworthy when you consider she is playing the lead, female character, as well, and doing one hell of a job at that.  Both Aselton and Shepherd bring their characters to life, building the chemistry between Annie and Darren with minimal effort.  While Shepherd delivers most of the comedy in the film (the guy is a comedian, to note), he is also the catalyst for much of the film’s drama.  In fact, scenes late in the film make you wonder if a move to more dramatic roles may not be on the actor’s horizon.  It is in these scenes where Shepherd reveals just how fearless he can be in the face of one of his characters.

The ambiguity in the film is also remarkable.  Aselton’s usage of dialog and scene composition serve this ambiguity, and the viewer is left with any number of options as to what really happened on that night off.  In the end, this is what the film is really about, reaction in the face of ambiguity, the trust that can be severed in a relationship should one or both members stray even for one night even if it is approved by the other partner beforehand.  The actions may or may not have really happened, but there is no denying the heart-wrenching reactions that come afterwards.  There is no denying the change that takes place in Annie and Darren’s relationship, in their comfort level around the other.  Aselton’s wonderful direction and the amazing performances by Shepherd and Aselton serve this aspect of the film with stunningly melancholy results.

In the end, THE FREEBIE comes out as another, honest and powerful look at love and relationships from the independent film world.  The fact that it incorporates elements that have been used time and time before makes it no less noticeable.  THE FREEBIE is the debut of a magnificent director, a wholly genuine and affecting film that is sure to be remembered as one, more glorious entry into the indie film world.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars