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Cast: Bryan Greenberg, T.R. Knight, Marshall Allman, Jamie Hector, Jamie Chung
A Year and Change is an uplifting, life-affirming indie film for Thanksgiving, which follows Owen (Greenberg) and his attempts to find meaning in life by making important decisions about how he chooses to live it.
After drunkenly falling off the roof at a New Year’s house party, Owen decides that it’s time to make some wholesale changes. Over the next year, he re-enters his estranged son’s life, reignites old friendships, quits drinking, and falls in love with Vera (Claire van der Boom), a bank teller and fellow divorcee. Owen, a vending machine proprietor, soon finds that sometimes in life, you just need a little change.
"A Year and Change" tells the story of Owen, a divorced father who is too busy partying with his friends to spend any real time with his son, Adam. After falling off the roof of his buddies house on New Years Eve while drunk he decides to make some changes in his life.
The film opens with Owen in the ER waiting to have his broken arm worked on. This seems to be the boiling point of his immature behavior and he vows to make the new year a much better one. We then get sent back to show what happened earlier that day which led to him falling of the roof. Of course it was filled with party preparations and standing his son up again as usual. But change doesn't come as easy for this selfish slacker, he first meets Vera at that said New Years party but she is coming off a recent divorce herself and she isn't quite ready to start dating steady. Between trying to find himself, excepting Vera's choices and trying to earn his son's trust Adam has his work cut out for him. And to make matters worse there's his two cousins. One was recently released from prison and the other has gotten himself in hot water over giving alcohol to an underage teen who claims the two had sexual relations.
As you can tell there is a lot going on in the film and it all keeps the film lively and moving at a great pace. There is a lot more happened but I am not going to go in major details here so not to ruin the film for those waiting to see it. The film is very funny and at times very dramatic as well. You easily feel for each and every character in the film, Owen is one you really care for because you know under that immature state of mind there is a man that is sweet, caring and wanting to do all the right things for his family and friends.
Before I move on I must also mention that Owen is talking to someone named Jen throughout the film(in his head of course) but do not be too alarmed by all of it because you will find out later in the film who this Jen is. "A Year and Change" is a funny, dramatic and touching film about one man's quest to be the best he can be for those he loves. Change isn't easy for Owen but he sure works hard at trying.
This is Director, Stephen Suettinger's feature film debut but you would never know it by watching the movie. Stephen already seems like a master and I look forward to seeing what he does next. Stephen's job was made a lot easier by the film's amazing cast, Bryan Greenberg (“Friends with Benefits”, “How to make it in America”) does a fantastic job bringing Owen to life and the supporting cast which includes, Claire Van der Boom, T.R. Knight, Jamie Chung, Jamie Hector, Marshall Allman, Kat Foster, Natasha Rothwell, Drew Shugart are all fantastic as well. I must point out Claire Van der Boom in particular. She is such a beautiful and talented actress, the screen lit up every time she appeared.
I had a blast watching "A Year and Change" and I highly recommend checking it out when it opens across North America on November 24th 2015. It will also be on DVD and VOD the same day. This will make for a Thanksgiving date night. The film is going to keep you engaged the entire time and it will leave a big smile on your face once it is all said and done.
You can order the DVD HERE.
Released by Vision Films
**** Out Of *****