Medicine for Melancholy

Sort of like an American version of Before Sunrise but instead of wondering if the couple is actually going to sleep with each other, this movie begins with the awkward aftermath of a drunken tryst between two strangers at a mutual friend's party.

The film looks fantastic especially considering how low budget it is. Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show) is good in a serious role. Tracy Heggins is like a young Angela Bassett.

The two characters are completely different from each other but still spend the day together (through Cenac's persistence at the beginning of the day). Heggins' character Joanne is quite well off and lives with her (possibly white) boyfriend who is currently in London. Cenac's character Micah is an activist with a considerable chip on his shoulder. The interplay between the two and the suspense of how the relationship will progress throughout the day makes this movie pretty memorable.

Plus, I can honestly say I've never seen a film that has a plot point about an African-American being frustrated by the lack of other African-Americans in the indie rock scene. The movie deals really well with the issues of race, class, and the disappearance of the black middle class in San Francisco. I learned stuff while being completely entertained. This movie was a very pleasant surprise.

Directed by Barry Jenkins
2009
DVD