JANE WANTS A BOYFRIEND – Review

Just from glancing at this film’s title you might think that you’re in for another frothy “rom-com”, or perhaps a peppy teen comedy that ends with a “make-over’ montage prior to a jubilant dance number at the senior prom. Well, you’d be mistaken, maybe pleasantly mistaken. Though one name is mentioned in its title, this sweet little “indie” flick really concerns that lady and her older sister, Bianca, who’s found her fella’. She’s the one playing “cupid”, a challenge since her sis’ must deal with many, many challenges. This tale is a search for romance, but also a love story of these young women, a relationship that is tested when JANE WANTS A BOYFRIEND.

As the film begins, Bianca (Eliza Dushku) is in the last days of rehearsal as the fairy queen Titania in a big new stage production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, a job that will finally make the young woman a full-time actress. She’s also gotten a job in wardrobe for her timid, but creative younger sister Jane (Louisa Krause), who is on the autism spectrum with Asperger’s syndrome. Bianca is also throwing a house-warming party in a couple of days at the apartment that she now shares with her longtime beau Rob (Amir Arison), a staff reporter at a newspaper. But first, there’s the birthday breakfast for Jane where their parents (Polly Draper and Gregg Edelman) drop a bombshell. They’re selling the family house in Manhattan and moving to Jersey. Plus they think that Jane should move in with Bianca and Rob (don’t want to disrupt Jane’s routine). As if that’s not enough for Bianca, she’s working her final bartending shift that night at the Fish Bar. Luckily she gets a visit there from Rob’s buddy Jack (Gabriel Ebert), a rakish, unanchored sous chef. While Bianca is in the back of the bar, Jane drops in to deliver a batch of her homemade cookies. Jack attempts to engage her in conversation, but the shy Jane departs quickly, before Bianca returns. The next night Jack spots Jane at the housewarming. The two talk and connect up on the rooftop patio, until Bianca breaks them up, warning Jack to back off! He hurriedly leaves as Jane confesses to her sis’ that she wants a boyfriend. Bianca enlists the help of her best pal Cynthia (Anisha Nagarajan) to find a suitor with the same challenges as Jane. But despite Rob and Bianca’s warnings, Jack will not be deterred. Somehow he will meet up with Jane once more. But can they re-connect despite all the obstacles thrown in their way?

Krause portrays the title character with great sympathy and depth, never resorting to “actorly” tricks and tics to convey Jane’s condition. There’s a spontaneity in her performance adding to the unpredictable nature of the character. We can see the wonder in her eyes and body language as she strains to break free of her shell and experience adulthood and romance. She’s a great acting partner to screen vet Dushku in the less “showy”, but very pivotal role of Bianca, not only a sister, but for much of the story, a parent. For most of her career, she has been the exotic dangerous femme fatale, particularly as the iconic Faith on TV’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but here Dukshu shows us a softer side, the nurturing, supportive sibling. But Bianca’s no simpering saint as we see when she snarls at Jack in that memorable party scene (“mama Grizzly”!). And there’s the frustration as she tries to help, but is accused of “smothering” (a “helicopter sister”?). It’s confident, compelling work from the charismatic screen talent.

But let’s not neglect the men in the sisters’ lives. In his first scenes Ebert’s Jack is the strutting boastful “playa” around Bianca. After meeting Jane, we can see in his face that a switch as been activated, that Jack has to change. This may be best conveyed in a terrific monologue that he delivers about wanting to master soups. Ebert’s delivery makes it clear that Jack’s not really talking about that food staple. He has a couple of great scenes with the talented Arison, especially when Jack pressures Rob to give up Jane’s phone number. Amir shows us how this principled man is torn over this, and over telling Bianca about a new work opportunity. Nagarajan makes the most out of the best pal role and becomes the steadying influence and sounding board that Bianca desperately needs. Draper and Edelman are charming as the parents who need to have their own time together, to rekindle their own fire, while remaining a part of their girls’ lives. The character closest to a “villain” may be Nick Stevenson as the arrogant, intimidating stage director Harrison West, who explodes in tantrums during rehearsals. But in an interesting twist, his tirades are just the motivator needed by Bianca. The very talented ensemble sends the story soaring.

Much of their praise should be aimed at the person who guided them, director William Sullivan in only his third feature film. He knows just when to linger on a reaction or to cut away and give the action some distance and space. The scenes are framed perfectly, especially around the theatre where the story begins and ends. Ons shot of Bianca waiting off to the side of the stage, listening for her cue resembles a living oil painting (helped by cinematographer Brandon Roots). All the talents involved were, no doubt, inspired by the sensitive, inspiring screenplay by Jarret Kerr, who does double duty as Bottom to Bianca’s Titania. There’s no heavy-handed preaching here, no “after school special” vibe. The dialogue flows naturally, even as certain sequences are emotionally raw (a confrontation between Bianca and Jane after a date disaster is a dramatic doozy). The NYC locales are great backdrops to the action, but never intrude on the story’s intimacy, one that will touch many families. There’s lots of love and sweet sibling support in this warm-hearted quest as one sister learns to let go because JANE WANTS A BOYFRIEND.

4 Out of 5