Directed by Stephen Ward and written by actor/producer Rich Grosso, P.J. Marino, and Jessica Abrams, this story is about a romance between two mature individuals who “weren’t looking for anyone” when they meet, but there is interest. There is humor and drama, as is to be expected in relationships, and more so when there is a history of heartache, a lack of self-confidence, and other factors that may keep people from committing to someone new. It would be a disservice to call this film a “romantic comedy” as some of those scripts are not the strongest, and the audience loses interest. This script is well written, strong, and, most importantly, with a respect that remained throughout for the women characters (of varied ages) and the emotions they are working through. Another strength is the authenticity of the characters and their respective life history as they work to improve their lives. This story is not just about romantic partners but also about friendships and family relationships.

Lara (Victoria Kelleher) works as a server at a diner near her home. She ventures out for an evening of entertainment at a local venue where her good friend, CJ (Viva Vinson), is a tremendous vocal talent. Lara refuses to join her in karaoke during the weeknight outings. Saturday night out is rare for her. When she goes out one Saturday night, she overhears a humorous gentleman at the bar who is witty and catches her eye but tries not to show it. By the end of the evening, she shares something with CJ, and she introduces Pat Leone (Grosso). CJ confirms he is a nice guy to alleviate some of Lara’s anxiety.

They slowly learn about each other after Lara gives in to start what she considers just a friendly relationship with Pat. Both have former marriages, but Pat has a daughter, and Lara does not have children, explaining she could not. They play it quite safely as they move forward, including going for a bike ride (for their health), which leads to excellent communication between them as they take a break. The script does show the two adults trying to communicate effectively. They do well until they allow their insecurities to take over. To say more would spoil the story for you.

Some of the funny moments in the film show Lara arguing with her television as a news anchor (Stuart Fratkin, “They Came from Outer Space” TV series) is at his news desk. Lara is surprised when the anchor breaks from the news segment to add comments about Lara’s life, her decisions about her change, etc. Of course, only Lara can hear the voice in her head, but the scenes between these two characters are funny. These scenes occur more than once and in a timely manner as Lara and Pat are dating.

Stephen Ward does a good job in his feature film debut as a director (IMDb) and as cinematographer Ricardo Jacques Gale (The Ossan, Best Cinematography nominee at Screen ATX 2024), who captures excellent close-up shots of emotion-filled faces, as well as happy group scenes. Both are talented, and I look forward to future work.

Don’t Say It makes its world premiere at the 12th annual Studio City International Film Festival at the Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood, CA. This film must be seen as it continues its journey on screens in film festivals, etc. Keep this on your list of when you can watch the movie soon.

Source: Studio City International Film Festival