Written and directed by Matthew James Thompson, in the wake of a short-lived marriage, a young man sells his unused wedding gifts online and learns valuable life lessons from the people he meets along the way. Starring: Justin H. Min, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Elizabeth Paige, Jon Rudnitsky, Peter Gerety, Michael Cyril Creighton, Amir Arison, Catherine Curtain and Winslow Bright.
There’s something so special about that niche sub-genre of films which are all about the strangers we meet along the way, and what they make us realise about our own lives, and Handle with Care is another superb entry into that storied, heartfelt collection of cinema. Starting out with an exceptional opening, the concept of which would sound perfectly simple if you said it aloud and yet to see it in action is clever and witty. It’s touches like that which make Handle with Care and Matthew James Thompson’s work stand out from the crowd.
Throughout the film there are so many touches like that, these sharp choices with a really great eye, which are delivered in such a casual, sarcastic manner, and they’re a joy to watch. The direction sets itself apart with how perfectly romcom and anti-romcom it is, it uses the classic stylings to its advantages while adding plenty of its own modern touches. Creating something which is so fluid, the movement of the film is excellent, it flows beautifully, and the shot choices from Thompson have a fantastic crispness.
Something which is undoubtedly helped by the stunning cinematography from Justin Henning. To have that sort of depth, texture and richness of colour which you’d typically find in weightier dramas and place it within a film that is filled with comedy, is so inexplicably satisfying. The contrast of having witty banter and sarcasm, and even slightly silly moments, against a backdrop of deliciously suave colouring and a composed, purposefully designed aesthetic, creates this complex presence. It perfectly allows Thompson to tell this story in a way which is relatable and funny but also has bigger issues at work.
Of course, that’s dependent on the writing being able to back up that excellent visual work, and it unquestionably does. It’s fun and smart, and messy in the best of ways. It’s also unexpected, the way that Thompson uses a non-linear timeline means that we have to wait to find out how Cole (Justin H. Min) got to this point, and what happened with his marriage, and the answer is surprising and adds so many levels to multiple characters. Having that satisfying unravelling is something which Handle with Care does so well on all fronts. It’s able to start off with such a strong foundation, and then continue to add to its emotions and humour all the way throughout, which is genuinely impressive.
That strong, hugely entertaining, sense of humour is also very reliant upon all of the performances, but none more so than its leading man Justin H. Min, and he is fantastic in this role. He gives you everything you could possibly want from this character and his performance, he’s funny, relatable, sympathetic, flawed, sweet and very well-intentioned. He’s effortless to watch as he endearingly stumbles through this difficult, complicated time. Nicole Brydon Bloom is great as his, soon to be, ex-wife Reese, they have a really natural chemistry and the way her character slowly reveals herself as we see more of the story is really interesting.
Elizabeth Paige and Jon Rudnitsky are wonderful as Cole’s best buddies, their friendship is genuinely lovely to watch, and they make for a charming trio. Then there’s the whole host of strangers which Cole meets along the way, and there’s one in particular who stands out, Catherine Curtain as Henrietta. She crafts this very unusual mix of romantic, cantankerous, vulnerable, sad yet generous, and has this terrific scene with Cole, which is one of the most memorable of the entire film. The depth of that scene is entirely unexpected, it’s touching and warm, and funny, which is exactly what Handle with Care is in a nutshell.
Handle with Care is an incredible, impressive debut feature from Matthew James Thompson. Everything about this film feels executed with the utmost consideration and such a phenomenal level of skill, while also delivering this absolutely organic, casual, utterly engaging flow. Justin H. Min was a perfect piece of casting, he’s charming, funny and exceptionally entertaining, and the same can be said of the entire film. The cinematography is superb, the direction is smart, modern and sharp, the writing is witty, heartfelt and touching, the entire ensemble are wonderful, it’s got a great NYC feel, bags of personality, and it’s simply a fantastic piece of cinema.
