Who among us hasn’t had an existential crisis while wandering around Los Angeles? I know I have.
That’s the basic premise of Wake Up, Leonard, a film in which the titular character finds himself running back and forth between old and new apartments, old and new flames, and old and new selves.
In the opening moments, Leonard wakes with a start and hustles a one-night stand from his bed to prepare for his impending move. From that point on, he’s basically in a panic for the whole day, which happens to be the day before his birthday.
Everyone keeps asking him, “Are you okay?” And he’s not, he realizes.
Then an ex sends him a text asking to meet up. Leonard spends hours waffling. Should he go? Should he cancel? He increases his harried efforts to purge his bad vibes before reconnecting.
This is a very LA movie, so it’s totally normal for a major second-act plot point to be a visit to Leonard’s spiritual guide and healer, and for Leonard to recite affirmations any time he’s in a moving vehicle. However, somehow this movie skewers that side of LA culture with a kind of earnestness that almost embraces it, too, so the story never feels snide or condescending. (After all, if you make fun of someone just trying to pull themselves together however they can, you’re just a bully.)
What it does right
Overall, Wake Up, Leonard feels a little like Jason Reitman’s Young Adult, except make it gay and put it in California. How much can one character self-sabotage? You love to see it.
Technically, the filmmakers should be commended especially for making an indie film in a city notoriously strict about permitting—it’s pretty clear they did a lot of this on the fly and utilized the locations they had at their disposal, which is a strong lesson for any up-and-coming filmmaker. They also did this during the pandemic, which is bonkers.
And the film looks great, regardless of budget, with cinematography by Sam Roden.
Indie filmmakers, take note. So what if you don’t have expensive, high-tech lights for night shoots? Set your story during the winter holidays and you’ve got an excuse to toss up those warm string lights everywhere. They’re almost as good as tungsten and just as flattering.
This team hiked up into Griffith Park for the glory of a golden hour with the glittering blanket of the LA skyline below them, too. If you’re local to OKC, try a parking garage downtown or maybe even Devon Tower.
Visually, these filmmakers knew what they were doing and should inspire others.
The film’s performances are also strong, especially from lead Nigel DeFriez, who seems constantly on the edge of tears and brings warmth to Leonard.
Barbara Gruska’s loose, jazzy score fits the film perfectly and only adds to the panic and disorder of Leonard’s life.
Just one thing…
Because Leonard is so aimless, unfortunately, the story can be at times, too. There are a few scenes and comedic bits that meander just a little too long, including a lengthy discussion about Diane Ladd—whoops, I mean Lane—and Under the Tuscan Sun near the end.
It seems a lot of the film was improvised, so on top of working within so many limitations in budget, time, and casting, it’s almost inevitable that this would lead to some filler. It doesn’t ruin the film by any means, but you do wonder how much stronger it could be if some of the fat were trimmed away and a few scenes were just a little punchier.
Wake Up, Leonard was written by DeFriez, Kat Mills Martin, and Kira Pearson, who also star. Martin directs. The film plays Saturday, June 11, and Sunday, June 12, during deadCenter Film Fest. For more on the deadCenter 2022 coverage, keep your eyes on The Cinematropolis.
