Wade on Birmingham

Sidewalk 2009: Love rollercoaster

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Movie review: ‘The Vicious Kind’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Jennifer West

Review at a glance: “The Vicious Kind” serves up a standard indie love triangle, but what a soundtrack.

The Vicious Kind

Brittany Snow stars in “The Vicious Kind.”

Are you in need of a real indie film fix? “The Vicious Kind” will almost satisfy, filled with sweet and somber moments, strange people and awkward situations.

Wade on Birmingham - Sidewalk Moving Picture FestivalThe film screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

Familiar faces abound onscreen, including stars Adam Scott (“Party Down”), Brittany Snow (“Hairspray”), Alex Frost and J.K. Simmons (“The Closer”).

After a terrible breakup, Caleb Sinclaire (Scott) falls for his younger brother’s emotionally mature girlfriend. “The Vicious Kind” follows them plus Caleb’s father through the twists and turns of strange normalcy.

The story is predictable, the characters a little contrived. But director Lee Toland Krieger still creates an emotionally rewarding film with an amazing soundtrack and great performance. It probably won’t be your favorite film at the festival, but one still worth seeing.

Jennifer WestJennifer West (@juniperlou) won the Sidewalk Audience Choice award for her romantic comedy “Piece of Cake” in 2006, which she wrote and directed. She’s working on a feature-length screenplay and blogging about it on JuniperLou.

“The Vicious Kind” will screen at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Alabama Theatre.

Video: Caleb and Emma’s argument ends with a surprise.

Also:

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Action! Complete Sidewalk Festival coverage.

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