Do I Love You?

Marina has just broken up with Romy and is already starting to regret it. As she looks back on their relationship, and those of the other women she knows, she starts to wonder just who she really is, what her place in the world is, and whether she really does want to get back together with Romy.

Lisa Gornick (Tick Tock Lullaby) in the main role as Marina comes across as somewhat uneasy being in front of the camera, her performance somewhat stilted, but manages to convey herself relatively well irregardless. Raquel Cassidy (Teachers, Festival) as Romy on the other hand, is excellent whenever she's on screen, making it a shame that she's woefully underused. The rest of the cast put in reasonable, if somewhat over-the-top performances, and keep the film ticking over reasonably well.

It's interesting to see Sarah Patterson (The Company of Wolves, Snow White) making a return to acting after fifteen years, seemingly at the behest of her friend, Writer/Director/Producer/Actress Lisa Gornick, also appearing in Gornick's second film, Tick Tock Lullaby. She plays her role as Louise very well, performing just as well as Raquel Cassidy, the two of them bringing some serious strength to this low-budget film.

The camerawork is terrible, though with the nature of the film, it's questionable whether that's intentional or not, to try to remove everything from the movie except the story and the performances. It's all about the theatrics of the actresses, not that of the cameraman or the effects wizards. Regardless, the poor camerawork is bearable, but the sound quality isn't. Some scenes are difficult to pick out what's actually being said, which is inexcusable for a bare-bones movie like this. Even gonzo porn films have better audio than presented here.

Where this film does succeed though, is the story Lisa Gornick's devoted herself to here. At times uncomfortable to watch, it's an unflinching, yet often comedic look at relationships in all stages. Some of the characters decisions are painful to see unfold, but it's all a part of the story, and it does stay very realistic and down-to-earth throughout.

I can't say that I particularly enjoyed Do I Love You?, but I do recognise that it is a good film. Whether the awkwardness I felt in viewing it is down to the film, or just my particular tastes, the frank and honest story carries it through these difficulties. Not great, but definitely worth a watch.

7/10

-- Reviewed on October the 21^st, 2007.

Find more details about Do I Love You? over at The Internet Movie Database.