PETER AND VANDY is a funny, charming, and realistic, its portrayal of a couple that’s been living together for quite some time is a reflection of what could actually happen to a couple that’s been living together for… quite some time. Partly romantic, partly frustrating and all around constant struggle just to stay sane. Great performances by talented actors Jess Weixler and Peter Vandy, their chemistry goes beyond just the typical norms of a love story.
“Peter and Vandy” is a love story told out of order. Set in Manhattan, the story shifts back and forth in time, juxtaposing Peter and Vandy’s romantic beginnings with the twisted, manipulative, regular couple they become. The film explores the question most couples ask themselves… ‘How the hell did we get here?’ The answer is found in the little moments. Peter and Vandy communicate through truthful, every day dialogue. They begin with the hope of new love on the horizon, adoring the little quirks about each other. As they continue, the way they bicker while trying to order takeout and begin to criticize the smallest of gestures reveals more about them than “couples therapy” ever could. Through these iconic moments, we see just who they are… and it’s familiar. By going back and forth in time, we are able to pinpoint the subtle causes that lead to the larger effects within their relationship.
Being that this is the first feature by playwright Jay DiPietro, most of the settings and situation do appear to be like they’re made to be enjoyed as a play. It’s only got a few cinematic set pieces, you hardly even notice them but it gives more focus on the characters and how they develop in relation to each other over time. Speaking of which, at first it might seem confusing trying to follow their story that seems so out of place because the timeline jumps from one to another but eventually I find the non-linear structure to be helpful, some of it might even be somewhat of a revelation.
The reality check hits you first like a brick wall, you’re often unaware on not knowing how to get back up and then it jumps to a moment before that happened, and then you understand what’s going on or what motivated the first scene to take place, it’s like a healing process. The movie have instances that almost make you feel like you want to choose sides between the two but as it takes us from the past to present to future and back and forth again, you eventually get the idea that it’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong, it’s just about two people who’ve gotten so used to each other, they forget to learn to appreciate each other’s company like they used to, love has become something that’s just there instead of a passionate fire anymore. It could happen to any couple.
Great work by Jason Ritter, son of the late great John Ritter. Jason plays Peter with the right amount of insecurity, often apologetic but Jason is also capable of explosive emotion. His performance in the argument scene that involved Peanut Butter and Jelly for some reason reminds me Al Pacino in Panic in Needle Park, where the atomic anger just takes over and won’t let go, fascinating. Jess Weixler who cracked me up in Teeth, is wonderful as Vandy who seems to be the shy and reasonable one but both actors are able to give us how it would play out when a normal couple argues about something when they’re actually arguing about a completely different thing. That’s what I love about this movie is that the drama aspect is not animated. Even in the thanksgiving dinner scene where there’s room for comedy due to the presence of a naive child, it’s still got that tension between Vandy’s character and her mom and it’s not over the top.
PETER AND VANDY is about what it means to stay in a relationship over a long period of time, how hard it is to make it work. It does show what attracts these two characters together and why Vandy who’s more protective of herself isn’t sure about Peter expressing his love but then she too falls in love with Peter, it shows you that falling in love moment just like any other rom-com out there but… the strength of PETER AND VANDY lies in its courage to deal with comes after… what happens after you fall in love. The movie is not preachy and yet you’ll definitely get the message because one way or another every couple is going to go through similar ordeal no matter how much they don’t want to admit it.
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