One Too Many Mornings (2010)

One Too Many Mornings is a low-budget independent movie that is just above passable and acceptable. I liked it more than Primer, The Film Buff, and The Snake but less than Etienne, Gigante, and 11 Minutes – in fact, about the same as the Woody Allen vehicle Melinda and Melinda. This scrappy independent film’s dialog and roles are lively, as is the soundtrack. Peter is a heart-on-his-sleeve sad sack who just broke up with his girlfriend of 5 years (for good reason, going by his story), come to stay with Fischer, a happy-go-lucky slacker chum from high school who gets free lodging in a church building for doing odd chores and locking up at night. (The church also has a custodian who could easily perform these chores in addition to his other duties, and openly lobbies to absorb Fischer’s job and perks, to no effect on the amiable pastor.) Fischer is chummy and likable in that he validates himself and others, but he is actually a douchebag when you think about it. (He encourages his vulnerable friend to pursue revenge sex, promotes frequent drunkenness, and with dozens of others, he trashes the church building during an unauthorized party on the premises.) Suddenly, Peter’s girlfriend Rudy (huh?) shows up, and we learn what really has been going on. She is an interesting character study, given what we have been given to understand and what we can now see with our own eyes. The movie concludes addressing whether and how the couple’s relationship is resolved. I don't remember how or why I saw this movie; it was likely a preview and certainly not memorable. Don't expect too much from a movie with the tagline "A coming of age story about two guys who are too old to be coming of age." 3.5 stars. (6-8-2012, posted 4-7-2016)