In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007)

Sadly Over-hyped

Load of rubbish!!

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

There's something so utterly charming about these big-hearted slacker-type films that appeals to so many of us who have been there before: directionless, hopeful, longing for someone special to hold at midnight...After an incredibly bad year, some loser says, "F it," and puts out an ad' for a date, because at least it's a step in the right direction. When his advertisement is responded to by a seemingly neurotic hot blonde in sunglasses, the possibility for comedy is nigh boundless... only, we instead come to know these two lost souls as real people, with real emotions, real dreams and real baggage. And that's where the charm of this flick lies: in the way that the characters go from something you've seen too many times before, to sneaking inside of you so that by the end, you really care what becomes of them.So, why only a 5?Well, unfortunately, I've seen a lot of films like this one, and compared to them, it's pretty much middle-of-the-road, albeit, compared to Transformers, it's the 10 others have gifted it with. Also, I had a big problem around mid-point with the fact that Wilson (the "loser") didn't just walk away after being slapped. Had this been resolved instantly, I'd have thought nothing of it, but the situation dragged out to the point of stalking, which kind of made me lose a lot of respect for his character.The other fault is that I just couldn't shake comparisons of Before Sunrise, which is a film that changed the way I view films forever! Hell, even the ending of this is... Well, I shan't ruin it.A very recommendable film if you've not seen the aforementioned, otherwise, I can't honestly say that you're missing a great deal.

It would be grossly unfair on Alex Holdridge, the writer and director of "In Search of a Midnight Kiss", to use the term "rom-com" or to draw any comparison between this film and any of the light and frothy chick-flicks against which he would have been vying for the old teen/young tween audience. "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" is much, much better than this. The narrative spans twenty-four hours beginning on the morning of New Year's Eve and follows the life of Wilson (played by a young-Hugh-Laurie-look-a-liking Scoot McNairy), a budding script-writer approaching the dreaded thirty years of age and who has followed the traditional trail west to Los Angeles in order to build his career. Typically, his life has stalled and L.A. dreams have rusted away into days spent smoking weed and masturbating over his best friend's girlfriend. Taking pity on him on this particular New Year's Eve, these friends convince him to add a personal to Craigslist in order to secure a date for that evening – a move that shortly sees us introduced to Vivian (Sara Simmonds). The film then follows Wilson and Vivian as their date progresses, rather clumsily at first as Wilson's dated Romantic views clash with Vivian's neo-feminist go-get-it attitude, before the latter's tough façade fades and the two begin to bond through mutual insecurities and cynicism towards modern-life and love, aided beautifully by Holdridge's easy dialogue. However, this is so much more than the typical Hollywood flick aimed at bleeding dry the girls-night-out pockets. This is not just a story about love; it is a story about insecurity and how the changes in our life are governed by these insecurities, something not just limited to the characters' or viewers' lives either. There's something greater to be said here about Los Angeles and Hollywood - much like how the characters cover their insecurities with aggression, be it violence or sexuality, Hollywood's once-esteemed stage theatres are standing empty, largely unused except as strip clubs and nude cabaret shows – and the film studios are surely no better off.I guess it is a cruel irony of this that the box office takings for "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" were so low. I would suggest a problem with the marketing at the time of release but confess that I don't even recall seeing any marketing at all (I found it only through peer review). This film is charming, beautifully shot in black and white; it's thought-provoking and deeper than its appearance but with enough humour and character-magnetism throughout to entertain any viewer. The script is wonderfully natural throughout and both the main stars turn out thoroughly engaging performances. I'd recommend this film to anyone, but especially to anyone who has ever picked up a Douglas Coupland novel, or who has ever looked out the window and considered how cheap those things we esteem highest are often portrayed in the media.8/10. A hidden gem. What a shame that it was so overlooked by the cinemas. Perhaps it was released the same week as some cheap and forgettable Jennifer Aniston rom-com...

I watched 5 minutes and couldn't really handle the vibe It felt very low-budget, it actually looked like they were just messing around with the camera? I can't judge fully due to not watching the whole movie, but it really didn't make me want to continue watching I'm giving it a 2 because I feel mean giving a 1 I have watched some movies lately and judged them by their ratings, was that a bad idea! I wouldn't go by the rating for this one the cover also made it look better than was so as the saying goes never judge a book by its cover and yeah i'm now trying to fill the lines up so i can post this and yeah hopefully this review will be helpful to some that is all

With a micro budget and a cast of no name stars this is a film that will go unnoticed by many and almost will be ignored by the masses due to its micro budget and lack of advertising. It's obvious that a lot of effort and care has been put into the making of this very involving film. Hopefully, it will beat the odds and find a wide and appreciative audience. It was certainly a pleasure watching such an engaging and enjoyable low budget romantic drama. A huge contrast in comparison to mindless big budget movies. The wonderful and well developed script was integral to this movie. The plot centers around a depressed writer and an eccentric girl who meet on New Years Eve after she answers his ad on Craigslist. Although, somewhat draggy in the middle the movie really picks as it goes along hitting it's mark on a perfect note at the end. Some moments of comedy occasionally come off as amateurish. Thankfully, this is not the focus of the movie. It's very emotionally open, honest and frank. More often than not the movie feels genuine in the way that the storyline develops and eventually concludes. Budget constraints are noticeable but don't significantly detract from the production.