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Cast: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz, Daphne Rubin-Vega
Jack (Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, making his directorial debut) and Connie (Amy Ryan) are two single people who on their own might continue to recede into the anonymous background of New York City, but in each other begin to find the courage and desire to pursue a budding relationship. As Jack and Connie cautiously circle commitment, the couple that introduced them, Clyde (John Ortiz) and Lucy (Daphne Rubin-Vega), confront their own unresolved issues, and each couple comes face to face with the inevitable path of their relationship.
Based on the acclaimed Off-Broadway play of the same name, I was looking forward to seeing this little Indie flick since I seen a trailer for it. The story is about Jack, a shy, not very confident man who is a limo driver for his uncle. His only real friends in life are a married couple, Clyde and Lucy who decide to set Jack up on a date with Connie, a shy person herself who works with Lucy at a mortuary. The story is basic but the film is more about the characters and where they are going, Jack and Connie are two lost souls who seem to take their new found relationship slowly but they seem to also enjoy every minute together as well. Connie tells Jack that when summer comes she would like to go boating but Jack doesn't know how to swim so Clyde offers to each him, this is just one instance in the film that shows Jack's willingness to grow as a person. Clyde and Lucy on the other hand have been married for years and are dealing with an infidelity issue that Clyde can't seem to get past and it really puts a strain on their relationship. Call it a drama or a comedy because it is a bit of both, the humor is dry which is perfect for me since I love this sort of comedy. The majority of the cast played these same characters in the play and you can tell they are pros at playing them. I am not going to say this is a perfect film but I thought it was pretty close to being one. All four characters are very believable and likable in their own way and you quickly become attached to each one and as you follow their journey you can't help but wish the best for them all. The cast here is terrific but Philip Seymour Hoffman steals the show, he always plays this type of character well and he eats up the screen here as Jack. Amy Ryan is also great as Connie and does a great job keeping up with Hoffman here, they show great chemistry together. "Jack Goes Boating" is as story about first time love, coming to term with the past and forgiveness.
Worth checking out for the acting alone, also if you like the genre and are in the mood for something a bit different then I highly recommend picking this up, a perfect example of how good Independent cinema can be. The DVD and Blu-ray both come with Special Features that include:
Jack’s New York
From the Stage to the Big Screen
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer
Also on DVD
You can order the DVD HERE and the Blu-ray HERE
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
**** Out Of *****