For the longest time, I was just using my Netflix account to watch television shows but it’s gotten to that point where I’ve been wanting something new. I decided to start opting to watch more movies instead of doing that “just one more episode” thing. So I realized that I’ve had this Rachel Bilson film, Waiting For Forever, in my queue so I tried it out. Bilson, let’s be honest, is no groundbreaking actress – at least not yet. But who isn’t in love with the quirky and cute characters she plays in the romantic comedies she’s usually in?
I was kind of surprised that she wasn’t the protagonist. Instead it was Will Donner, played by Tom Sturridge. His character, as a child, goes through a traumatic experience and it has a huge impact on how he lives out the rest of his life. He’s also been in love with his childhood best friend and neighbor, Emma Twist (Rachel Bilson), since they were just kids – even though she’s moved away for college and then her acting career. But once he finds out that she’s returned home to visit her dying father, he follows her.
Okay, if you’ve been keeping up with MTV’s Teen Wolf, you’re probably going to laugh. This is definitely one of those stories where the stalker-ish guy actually does get the girl because it’s so charming and cute, whereas Teen Wolf’s Allison Argent flat out called it creepy. But in this case, taking everything into account, it’s totally cute and charming. But then again I’m a hopeless romantic (but guys totally dig that… right?!).
I was not expecting much out of this film. It doesn’t seem to have had a large theatrical release, and I don’t think it would have performed well if it did. But that’s not to say it’s an awful or cheesy film. Personally, I really loved it. A story about this completely love struck guy desperately trying to win the heart of the girl he loves – but not so outwardly as we usually see in these types of films. The acting was okay – Blythe Danner and Richard Jenkins really delivered as Emma’s parents (remember, the father is on his death bed), but I also fell in love with Tom Sturridge. I think he did a really good job at making his character believable and helped the audience connect with him. I also enjoyed the appearances of Roz Ryan, Richard Gant, and Nikki Blonsky.
And if you’re a fan of Bilson, you know she’s currently on The CW’s Hart of Dixie and her arch nemesis Lemon Breeland (played by Jaime King) is also in Waiting For Forever. This time, she’s playing a much more likable character – Will Donner’s sister-in-law.
Waiting For Forever is available on Netflix, iTunes, and on Blu-Ray/DVD.
