Such a frustrating disappointment

Good movie but grossly overrated

best movie i've ever seen.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

6/7/18. This is a sad love story of a lesbian (Kirke), named Joey who falls for a needy woman with kids looking for an emotional and financial connection in every which way she can. Sadly, Joey is willing to give up everything for the woman she loves, but that woman (Wool) does not reciprocate in kind. All she was looking for is someone to support her, be that someone be a man or a woman. In the end, you will feel bad for Joey.

AWOL is such an honest film, that when you watch it you effortlessly breathe and feel with its main characters. This is due to director Deb Shoval's remarkable ability to submerge you in a small Pennsylvania coal town, and to actresses Lola Kirke's and Breeda Wool's fearless performances as Joey and Rayna. It is an intimate look at the lives of those who don't often grace the silver screen: soldier recruits, wives, closeted lesbians, and rural American families. AWOL is poignant, guarded, raw- like Joey and Rayna's relationship. Watching it will make you more compassionate, more understanding, and somehow more human.

I have been following the progress of this film, eagerly anticipating its release. From the opening sequence, through to the final frame I was invested in the characters journey and the underlining themes of the story. Authentic directing from Shoval helped create space for the characters to build, only cutting and moving the camera when necessary. The queerness of the characters is not made out to be the central theme of the film, however, the love story is genuine. Kirke delivers an emotive performance that reflects a relatable, yet painful depiction of the reckless nature of a first love.

From the opening shot, AWOL draws you in to its landscape of people, place and passion. Kirke and Wool, working with a backdrop of economic and personal distress, use their characters to paint a picture of the interrelated challenges of life and love. Director Shoval commits to the authenticity of her characters, allowing the story to unfold without compromise.