Before You Know It
- Director: Hannah Pearl Utt
- Writer: Hannah Pearl Utt; Jen Tullock
- Producer: James Brown; Josh Hetzler; Mallory Schwartz
CGiii Comment
What an oddly framed film...it starts off lesbian, ends lesbian and there's nothing lesbian in-between!
So...rather than this being [solely] about a lesbian...it's much more, it's a slightly goofy look at three generations of womanhood...men - as you would expect - get a rum deal. There's the lying, feckless, controlling father and the cheating, incompetent, smarmy therapist...other than these two [brief] appearances, men don't get a look in.
Before You Know It rattles along at such a pace and - hey, before you know it - it's over. That's a compliment...as daft as the story is, Hannah Pearl Utt runs with it, full pelt...there are a few stumbles along the way but nothing too jarring. Seriously, this is light-hearted fayre...with the odd poke at the male-dominated establishment...
And then...in walks Judith Light as the caked-in-make-up daytime soap star, somewhat reminiscent of Norma Desmond...just a little less fearsome...oooh how this film could have exploded if there had been a generous serving of unbridled ferocity! The situation - most definitely - warranted it!
Being lied to all your life...no, not just a piddling little lie...but, a god-almighty whopper...Before You Know It should have gone down the route of outrage and been outrageous in doing so...alas, 'safe' was the way it went...resulting in a safe and chirpy little film, enjoyable...but, sometimes, you want to be left with a kick in the teeth rather than a smile on your face! Or, do you?!?
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Stage manager Rachel Gurner still lives in her childhood apartment - along with her off-kilter actress sister, Jackie; eccentric playwright father Mel; and deadpan preteen niece Dodge - above the tiny theatre they own and operate. Level-headed and turtleneck-wearing Rachel is the only thing standing between her family and utter chaos. Then, in the wake of a sudden family tragedy, Rachel and Jackie learn their presumed-deceased mother is actually alive and thriving as a soap-opera star. Now the sisters’ already-precarious balance turns upside down, and Rachel must figure out how to liberate herself from this surreal imbroglio.
Cast & Characters
Alec Baldwin as Peter
Mandy Patinkin as Mel
Tim Daly
Mike Colter as Charles
Judith Light as Sherrell
Peter Jacobson as Michael (Producer)
Ayden Mayeri as Celia
Jenn Lyon as Susan
Sam Daly as Damien
Carly Brooke as Chloe
Blake Berris as Brandt Wilfred
Glenn Wein as Paparazzo
Boma Akpore as Bartender
Hannah Pearl Utt as Rachel
Ruibo Qian as Pregnant Woman