INerTia

Running time: N/A

United States Premiere It's no wonder why INerTia walked away with the Best First Feature Award from the Toronto Film Festival. Filled with sly humor and keen observation on the toils of modern romance, Sean Garrity's debut feature is a captivating and assured comedy about restlessness, infidelity, desire, and regret. A four-sided love triangle forms as a group of 20-somethings open doors that are best left closed. Joseph cannot let go of Laura; Laura is interested in the very married Bruce; Bruce is after Joseph's cousin, Alex; and Alex—well, like all 19-years-olds, she has other plans. Love and truth are not easy pursuits for this bunch of self-indulgent characters as they mistake what they want for what is best-which includes acting upon sexual urges when they shouldn't. Director Garrity uses the uncommon union of improvisational theatre techniques and cinematic applications in his "anti-romance drama." The results are a stimulating slap across the face to the purveyors of boorish romantic comedies everywhere. Cynical but true to the nature of human obsessions, Garrity and his cast reflect the words of George Bernard Shaw: "There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it." Reviewed by John Ignowski and Al Owens