Movie Review: Merland Productions’ The Departure – Love Gets Put to the Test In Passable Drama

THE DEPARTURE

Genre: Drama

Director: Merland Hoxha

Cast: Grant Gunderson, Kendall Chappell, and Austin Lauer

Studio: Merland Productions

Runtime: 70 minutes

Release Date: On demand June 12, 2020

Rated: Not Rated

Reviewer’s Rating ★★★★★

While I am not a leading expert on relationships, I think most issues couples face could easily be resolved if the parties simply sat down and talked them out. Or perhaps admit they may not be a good fit for one another and break things off amicably. Although that scenario doesn’t really make for an entertaining film. Enter Merland Hoxha’s The Departure.

Watch THE DEPARTURE Trailer

Nate (Grant Gunderson) is in a relationship with Jessica (Kendall Chappell). Things are going relatively smoothly with the exception of Jessica talking about her male co-worker a bit more than Nate would like. Then, Nate gets a job offer which requires him to move to New York for six months leaving him unsure about Jessica’s fidelity. Can he trust her to remain faithful to him?

This is where Nate’s best friend, John (Austin Lauer), comes in. Nate asks John to try and seduce Jessica as a way to test her faithfulness to him. If she gives into temptation, they’re not meant to be; but if she stays true to Nate, then it proves he has nothing to worry about.

I can see the appeal of The Departure. Getting involved in the twisted love-lives of young, hip people in the city can make for some trashy entertainment. I’d be lying if I said by the time the sordid trust game’s pieces were finally set up, and the moves are being made, I wasn’t invested in the characters enough to see how it would play out. It’s more of a passive interest, like when you flip through the channels and find that made for TV movie from the 90s that’s really cheesy but you kind of have to see how it ends while, at the same time, you’re apathetic to the whole thing. I know that’s a really specific feeling; however, I know I am not alone in experiencing that. Either way, that’s how I felt watching The Departure.

The Departure - Kendall Chappell as Jessica — Kendall Chappell as Jessica

There’s a lot to appreciate with Hoxha’s film. His writing pulls no punches and doesn’t justify or excuse the characters’ utter awfulness. Nate’s plan, and John’s willingness to go along with it, is inherently misogynistic and, instead of taking a stance, Hoxha simply presents their actions to the viewer, letting them decide for themselves. His direction is subtle, presenting the situation is a non-exploitive way, almost with precision.It gives The Departure a slice of life feeling that’s authentic.

The cinematography from Ludovica Isidori and Wey Wang is also noteworthy. Like the direction, it’s understated but always deliberate. Multiple conversational scenes that could have felt dull are instead made lively due to the use of unbroken takes employing effective use of framing and blocking thus giving the illusion that the sequences have multiple cuts. Their choice to shoot characters often from a distance is great in illustrating how isolated emotionally the characters are.

While there is plenty to admire, unfortunately, the film never fully meshes. There is a lack of urgency or tension to the events making The Departure feel like it’s constantly at a crawl. This is a film where dialogue drives the momentum and, while it’s realistic, it’s not particularly engaging. There’s only so many times you can listen to Nate go on about how he’s unsure if he can trust Jessica before you start screaming at the screen, suggesting they should just go to couple’s therapy.

Another downside are the characters themselves. On one hand, I enjoy how unlikable they are.I’m a firm believer that characters shouldn’t have to be likable in order to make for an entertaining film. On the other hand, all of them are fairly one-note. John is indecisive, Nate is jealous, and Jessica is essentially a loving girlfriend. We never get to know these characters more in depth or get a sense of why they would ever associate with one another. With the lack of character development, the audience can’t truly sympathize or empathize with any of them. This conundrum, especially the first act, makes it incredibly slow paced and painful to watch.

The Departure - Grant Gunderson as Nate — Grant Gunderson as Nate

The actors’ performances are all adequate for the material, although none really stand out. The exception being Chappell as Jessica who gives a nuanced performance despite her character lacking depth. It is her scenes, more specifically during the final act, that I enjoyed the most in The Departure.

The ending of the film is easily the best part. It’s a quiet conclusion that feels equal parts poignant and cynical. It also has the possibly unintended benefit of giving the film’s title more layers than you would expect which is something I always appreciate.

Despite the small praise, I don’t see myself watching The Departure a second time. It’s difficult to fully recommend this film to anyone outside of those who really dig watching terrible people do terrible things. I don’t want to write-off the movie entirely either because despite the script’s potholes, Hoxha does show promise behind the camera and I’m curious to see what his next film will entail.

**For more on The Departure visit:**

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoxhamerland?lang=en

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7305198/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedepartureofficial/?hl=en

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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.