Nice Guys Sleep Alone

Rating:
Summary: A fun movie about a sad truth: nice guys do sleep alone.
Review: A recent survey found that women who are dating -- and having sex -- casually tend to be attracted to men who like to party and are often somewhat irresponsible, whereas women looking for a serious relationship and/or marriage prefer "nice guys" with jobs and a sense of responsibility. Consequently, although nice guys are sought out as steady boyfriends or husbands, they sleep alone at the end of casual dates far more often than do their party animal peers. This fact is the premise of this movie. Carter (Sean O'Bryan) is a nice guy who buys his dates flowers and takes them to dinner at good restaurants. Consequently his dates usually send him home after the first date with the suggestion: "Let's just be friends." Then he meets Maggie to whom he is seriously attracted (Sybil Temchen) and who is ready for a relationship with a nice guy. Unfortunately, Carter allows a buddy to convince him that he will do better with Maggie if he abandons his nice guy persona. So for once Carter, throws away the flowers he has bought, arrives at Maggie's house a half hour late, and takes her to a hamburger joint for dinner. Naturally Maggie is angry and disappointed that she has apparently misjudged Carter and doesn't even allow him to walk her to her door. The one time Carter was going to score with a woman who is looking for a nice guy, he strikes himself out. However, since this is a fun movie, Carter and Maggie eventually do get together and begin the meaningful -- and, presumably, intimate -- relationship they both are seeking.

The foregoing may leave you disinterested in this film, but I hope not -- because this low-budget little gem of a movie does a beautiful job of exploring and exposing the joys and pitfalls of the dating game while being a fun movie throughout.

Rating:
Summary: The perfect romantic comedy
Review: I first caught this movie while flipping channels. It was being shown on HBO. I wasn't really expecting much but, my husband and I watched the movie through. There were lots of great laughs. While it may of been low budget, it was very well written. It was a lot of fun to watch. :)

Rating:
Summary: The perfect romantic comedy
Review: I write romantic comedy novels, so I'm always on the lookout for a good romanctic comedy movie. I'm from Kentucky originally, so Nice Guys Sleep Alone caught my eye. What a great film! My husband (he's from Louisville, the town where the movie is set) and I laughed and laughed. Don't miss it!

Rating:
Summary: Kentucky Rain keeps pouring down.....and it feels good!
Review: Like the 1981 Bill Murray comedy Stripes, Nice Guys Sleep Alone was also filmed here in Louisville, Kentucky. And like that film, Nice Guys Sleep Alone is an excellent, hilarious, and entertaining film to watch. Not only that, it has a serious message when it comes to meeting the right person, and how the dating scene is in the 21st Century. Sean O'Bryan, the ever lovely Morgan Fairchild, Will Sanderson, Dorothy Grossman, and all the actors do a remarkable job with the material they are given. Most of all, Stu Pollard (a native Louisvillian)does an excellent job in directing the film. His shots of Louisville and the other parts of Kentucky Horse Country (particularly the horse farm that his family owns)are very crisp, sharp, scintillating, and very beautiful. If not fresh.

If you enjoy excellent independent films, let alone the state of Kentucky and its tradition of horse racing, be sure to check out this film. It's worth watching. It's also on my own top 100 best movie list.

Trivia note - Dorothy Grossman worked with The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival for two years. I had the honor and the privilege of working with her on stage.

Rating:
Summary: A charming comedy full of simple truths
Review: The best comedy comes from simple truths about life. `Nice Guys' captures so many of the essential truths about the dating game that, despite its shortcomings, it is extremely entertaining.

Carter (Sean O'Bryan) is a really nice guy. He is such a nice guy that women are dying to be his friend. At least that is what they all tell him at the end of the first date. Maggie (Sybil Temchen) is a New York veterinarian who is starting over in Louisville, Kentucky working on a thoroughbred horse farm. With the dubious guidance of his best friend, Carter asks Maggie for a date, and the fun begins.

The movie is peppered with vignettes about dating and the games the sexes plays. What makes it funny is that it is all so true, and without much exaggeration. There are quite a few good sight gags and liberal guffaws throughout.

This was a low budget independent production written and directed by Stu Pollard in his first attempt at both. The writing was honest and insightful, but uneven. At times, the dialogue was terrific; sharp, biting humor the captured the essence of this absurd ritual called dating. At other times it was gut wrenching drivel. The same was true of the cinematography. He had some beautiful shots of Kentucky, and then other shots were set up all wrong.

The acting was about what you would expect from third tier actors. Sean O'Bryan was nice enough, but so bland that one might suspect that he was boring his dates into friendship. He did exude great sincerity, though which worked very well with his character. Sybil Temchen was the best actor in the film and seemed very confident in her role. She was strong and self-assured in her role as the vet, but confused and uncertain in dating mode.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise for a film with untested talent and limited resources. I rated it a 7/10. It is a fun movie with something for just about everyone who has ever been on a date as an adult. At some point you may even find yourself saying, "Yeah, that happened to me too."