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ROM COM Fest 2019: ONE BEDROOM – Review by Liz Whittemore

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Written and directed by Darien Sills-Evan, One Bedroom takes place predominantly in a Brooklyn apartment. The film centers around Nate and girlfriend Melissa on the day she moves out.

Structured through flashbacks explaining how and why the break up occurred, One Bedroom has slight pacing issues. This is especially disappointing considering that the opening slam poetry monologue by D’Areshia Mack sets such high expectations for the film. The dynamic opening does not match the rest of the film.

Sills-Evans, who also stars as Nate, is the best part of this cast. He’s genuine and grounded in the dialogue. His performance feels effortless. Unfortunately, his is the only one.

While the plot explores past transgressions, rumors, and the evolution of a relationship, I felt myself struggling to reach the end. One Bedroom would do well with a 20 minute trim. The film has real potential. When quick cut editing occurs, it is superb.

A specific monologue from the character Cora is solidly written and has authentic delivery. As is, the barber shop scenes are actually the most interesting. The entire film should look and feel like the barber shop scenes throughout.

Synopsis: After five years of ups and downs, an African American couple spends their final afternoon together arguing and remembering better days, as one of them moves out and hopefully on with her life.

About  Rom Com Fest: A new Los Angeles based film festival
which celebrates love through film and experiences, announced the lineup for its inaugural
festival taking place June 20-23, 2019. The lineup includes special themed screenings of iconic romantic comedies, as well as a competition lineup of new romantic comedies, and a
number of unique themed events and activities. According to Founder and Executive Director Miraya Berke, the experiential festival is a reimagining of a traditional film festival – pairing rosé and desserts
with films, encouraging that its audiences show up dressed in themed attire, and holding
memorable events and activities that bring together those that love and/or create romantic
comedy films. Rom Com Fest takes place primarily at the Downtown Independent Theater in
Los Angeles, with select events at other venues.

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Liz Whittemore

Liz Whittemore is the author of AWFJ's I SCREAM YOU SCREAM blog. She is Co-Managing Editor and writes for www.ReelNewsDaily.com, hosts the podcast Girls On Film and is a contributing writer for Cinemit.com and The ArtsWireWeekly. Now New York-based, she was born and raised in northern Connecticut. She's a graduate of The American Musical & Dramatic Academy, and has performed at Disneyland and famed Hartford Children's Theater, and been a member of NYC's Boomerang Theater, Connecticut's Simsbury Summer Theater, Virginia's Offstage Theatre, where she also directed. Her film credits include Suburban Skies and Surrender. In 2008, she shot Jabberwocky, a documentary now in post-production. Liz is still a children's theatre director and choreographer. She's working on an updated adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and a series of children's books.