The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls In Love (1995)
New Line Home Entertainment
Cast: Laurel Hoffman, Nicole Parker
Extras:
Rating:

The spirit of independent cinema is to inspire thought and creativity without the stifling corporate interference that typically accommodates mainstream fare. Unfortunately, ’The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls In Love’, an independent feature shot in 21 days for less than $100,000, plays out like a by-the-numbers love story that feels as if it could’ve easily been cranked out by the Hollywood system.

’Love’ tells the story of Randy (Laurel Hoffman from Showtime’s lesbian drama ’The L Word’) and Evie (Nicole Parker, ’Boogie Nights’), two high school girls from the opposite sides of the tracks. From the clothes they wear, the friends they associate with, their economic backgrounds and their tastes in music, Randy and Evie have almost nothing in common. After a chance encounter, the two girls become inseparable friends. As their friendship blossoms into something greater, the age-old dilemma of whether or not their love for each other will be strong enough to overcome their own differences and the negativity around them takes center stage. Yawn.

To be fair, the performances in ’Love’ are top notch, especially by Randy and Evie, the two teenage girls who immediately fall for each other, despite their severe differences. The flow of dialogue between Randy and Evie carries a very natural, matter-of-fact tone which is the movie’s strongest point. After we spend some time with them as a couple—whether during a secret sleep over or in the middle of a sprawling field holding hands—the movie really shines. It’s during these touching, gentle moments, that we share the couple’s affection to the point where the sensationalism of lesbianism completely evaporates.

The unbelievable story line and flat direction, however, pull the movie down. It would’ve been nice to see the two girls struggle a bit more realistically with their peers and sexuality in order to boost the payoff in the end. Also, a much-needed injection of eroticism seems to permeate the entire movie. Let’s face it, teens are horny. I can certainly appreciate the understated sexual tone director Maria Maggenti chose to establish, but a few heated scenes of unbridled passion would’ve easily elevated ’Love’ beyond the very safe, nice and somewhat bland movie that it is.

With a 16×9 widescreen presentation and 5.1 surround, ’Love’ looks and sounds great on DVD, once again proving that the format can really elevate a movie that doesn’t benefit from a big budget. Director Maggenti also provides a commentary track, outlining how the film was shot in such a short time frame on a minuscule budget. Those interested in gay cinema should give ’Love’ a chance, however, don’t be surprised if you walk away from the film shrugging your shoulders.