Movie Review: Band Aid - Endearing Comedy Tackles Healing Through Music

Genre: Comedy

Director: Zoe Lister-Jones

Cast: Zoe Lister-Jones, Adam Pally, Fred Armisen, Hannah Simone, Brooklyn Decker, Rhetta, and Susie Essman

Studio: IFC Films

Runtime: 94 minutes

Release Date: In theaters Friday, June 2 and on VOD Friday, June 9

Rated: NR

Rating ★★★★★

I feel like everyone in their life has wanted to started a band at one time or another. Rocking out on stage with your buddies to a crowd of worshipping fans is a dream. At least it’s one I had growing up. So I’m instantly drawn to any movie that deals with getting a band together.

Band Aid, written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones, follows Anna (Lister-Jones) and Ben (Adam Pally), whose marriage has hit a standstill due to their constant arguing. Desperate to find a remedy, Anna begins writing songs based on their fights. When their neighbor Dave (Fred Armisen) joins in as a drummer, the trio form a band that eventually begins to aid in working out their issues.

What makes Band Aid work is how charming the movie is. It’s easy for a comedy that focuses on the pitfalls of marriage to feel melodramatic but luckily, Band Aid is lighthearted and funny enough to make it an endearing watch.

Lister-Jones’ script is Band Aid’s biggest strength. While not gut-busting hilarious, the writing is subtle and dry, perfectly dissecting why couples fight and exposing how petty those reasons can be. This is perfectly encapsulated with the songs the pair writes. While not the best songs ever written, they serve the film well and give you a window into how both Anna and Ben think.

Movie Review: <em>Band Aid</em> - Endearing Comedy Tackles Healing Through Music 2

Ben, Anna, and Dave rock out.

Lister-Jones and Pally deliver pitch-perfect performances. Their acting complements the writing perfectly and the chemistry they share is palpable. The two truly capture the mundanity of married life and the feeling of unsureness you have when you realize life isn’t going the way you expect.

Armisen is a scene stealer with his portrayal of their weirdo neighbor Dave. His deadpan delivery earns the biggest laughs in the film. He does a wonderful job of finding the perfect balance between seemingly being friendly and making you uncomfortable.

The last act is where Band Aid hits a few sour notes. The film is fairly light but as it progresses, Anna and Ben’s arguments get more intense and the charm begins to fade. And while Pally and Lister-Jones deliver realistic performances, the writing, at this point, fails to hit the emotional resonance it’s aiming for.

It doesn’t help that the movie also stops dead in its tracks in order to have Ben’s mother (Susie Essman) deliver a monologue that essentially spells out the lesson Band Aid is trying to convey. It comes across as cheesy and lacks the subtlety that made the previous dialogue great.

Despite these small missteps, Band Aid is a sweet, honest, relationship comedy that’s highly enjoyable.

Band Aid is in theaters June 2 and on VOD June 9.

For more on this film, visit:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5816374/
Website: http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/band-aid
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZoNcq49zUY

All Photos: ©2017 IFC Films. All Rights Reserved

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Dustin Kogler

Professional amateur movie watcher. Dustin is a laid-back nerd who loves discussing pop culture. He loves listening to 80s music, playing video games and watching netflix all day. He's pretty sarcastic and if you tell him your favorite movie he can tell you why you're wrong.