I saw this movie at the 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival, where it bore the honor of being the Opening Night flick. As such, it worked well, being an accessible, pleasant crowd-pleaser. Based on producer Mike Cram's own story, it follows the travails of several young adults seeking to make their own way in the business world by marketing their own inventions.
Dallas Roberts as Matt, Ayelet Zurer as his wife Gina and Jeremy Renner as business partner Sam make up an interesting triangle (of sorts). We are thrown into Matt and Sam's business with opening scenes that represents the failures they have had up to this point: numerous failed "can't miss" inventions are mentioned, we find they are not at all business-savvy as they are involved with a unctuous telemarketer (played with a shark-wide smile by Richard Kind) and we find out about their shared gambling addiction. Oh, and Matt gets his ideas by standing on a small mountain surrounded by numerous communication dishes and "listening". Gina provides the regular income in the family, and has been through enough as an addict's co-dependent. She gives Matt his last "last chance", putting us into the heart of the story.
There are enough unpredictable elements to provide a good narrative structure, with pretty good acting all the way around. The film was fine technically, I was told a story and I cared/knew about the characters. I especially liked the scene of "grand-theft cactus" and the conclusion up on Matt's mountain, ambiguous in a satisfyingly Indie way.
Lightbulb delivers a good package of entertainment, some comedy and a load of empathy for anyone who has endeavored to make their own way in the world.
Dallas Roberts as Matt, Ayelet Zurer as his wife Gina and Jeremy Renner as business partner Sam make up an interesting triangle (of sorts). We are thrown into Matt and Sam's business with opening scenes that represents the failures they have had up to this point: numerous failed "can't miss" inventions are mentioned, we find they are not at all business-savvy as they are involved with a unctuous telemarketer (played with a shark-wide smile by Richard Kind) and we find out about their shared gambling addiction. Oh, and Matt gets his ideas by standing on a small mountain surrounded by numerous communication dishes and "listening". Gina provides the regular income in the family, and has been through enough as an addict's co-dependent. She gives Matt his last "last chance", putting us into the heart of the story.
There are enough unpredictable elements to provide a good narrative structure, with pretty good acting all the way around. The film was fine technically, I was told a story and I cared/knew about the characters. I especially liked the scene of "grand-theft cactus" and the conclusion up on Matt's mountain, ambiguous in a satisfyingly Indie way.
Lightbulb delivers a good package of entertainment, some comedy and a load of empathy for anyone who has endeavored to make their own way in the world.