In Search of a Midnight Kiss
Two would-be young lovers roam Los Angeles in a bittersweet romance.
by Al Hoff
Besides Valentine's Day, the worst day to be single is New Year's Eve. Desperation prompts Wilson (Scoot McNairy) to place an online ad for a Dec. 31 blind date, and spurs Vivian (Sara Simmonds) to answer it. The two late-twentysomethings -- each a recent Los Angeles transplant looking to break into showbiz -- wander downtown L.A., sparring, laughing and going a little loco, before finally connecting. Writer-director Alex Holdridge's bittersweet, black-and-white indie feature is a talk-fest (against moody urban backdrops), but the dialogue feels authentic. Also, Holdridge is clearly enamored of the other L.A., the old city center which most movies speed through, if at all. Thus, as the pair amble through L.A.'s odd mix of new and old, noting the quirks of city life from the sidewalk, it's clear Search offers at least one rarity: a tour of L.A. by foot. Starts Fri., Sept. 26 (no screening Mon., Sept. 29). Harris (AH)
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