Anyone Else But Me

A man takes an acting exercise too far and must deal with the consequences.
Featuring
‪@BlakeRosier‬
‪@sombrsyrn‬
Maxwell Robey
‪@mitsy270‬
‪@Daxflame‬
‪@LarsonMars69‬
‪@toddthebrand‬
John Beers
‪@MattyKiel‬
Ron Lynch
‪@magentasquash‬
Indiana Wilson
Isaac Landfert
‪@cerspence‬
‪@ItaliaPonticorvo‬
‪@Cherdleys‬
‪@SvenJohnsonBestKZbinr‬
Francesca Keller
Jim Belden
‪@TrentLenkarski‬
‪@mollygarcia‬
‪@MattXShaver‬
‪@RyanTheLeader‬
‪@Sethward‬
‪@nartharie‬
Original Score by Kevin Sloan - open.spotify.c...
Additional Music by MyKey - open.spotify.c...
Special Effects by Christopher Rutledge and Tom Goulet
Second of 12 Feature Films in 12 Months.
Other Channels -
Joel Talks About Movies - / @joeltalksaboutmovies
goodlongpee - / goodlongpee
Support -
Patreon: / joelhaver
Paypal: bit.ly/2ZI7uff
Merch - joelstuff.store
Social -
Instagram: / joelhaver
Twitter: / joelhaver
Drawings: / joeldrawsandwriteshaver
Letterboxd: letterboxd.com...

[@BlakeRosier]

Was such an honor to make this with you Joel. I’ll always be Darren

[@SteveRobertson-m4c]

Insanely talented, man. Great work!

[@tuxsbro]

Darren to make me blush ;)

[@ZacKreiss]

Your character was so believable and immersive. I swear I’ve met a guy like that. Great job @BlakeRosier!

[@BetweenWaters]

Loved your performance, Blake!

[@kevinkevinkevinkevinkevin]

You were fantastic!

[@plewiks]

The "what do you do?" "I'm an actor" "Oh, me too" joke was so funny lmaoo

[@blinco1539]

So was “I didn’t litter that!”

[@TheTalentlessWriter]

This was amazing. Incredible acting by everyone, especially Blake. Loved seeing him as the main character of the film. Also, Trent sharpening knives with no emotion might be the scariest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

[@BlakeRosier]

love u dude

[@TheArchitect097]

He was actually Honing a knife, not sharpening. You just couldn't tell because of amazing ACTING.

[@iheartfood562]

“Please save me…” “We’re not really feeling the emotion behind it .” 😂😂😂

[@Cherdleys]

joel this movie went hard af. i liked ur back of the head cameo at 0:19

[@D3epBlueSea]

Didn’t even notice that till now

[@garm0097]

Is it just me or does it look like he's green screened in there?

[@chiefster]

I want to know what happens to your character, Cherdley.

[@soaphope3398]

Where????

[@opie3919]

Bro your acting was perfect

[@Jim-vq9yg]

Darren's "Nice" when his roommate dropped the VR headset into place was super supportive. He definitely has redeeming qualities.

[@lukeshioshio]

Bro I need a revive

[@DietrichMischke]

Joel has been going around collecting talent in his short form content so he could have his own avengers moment

[@chessprovoko5785]

JC universe

[@Pilpup]

Yeah everything is exactly like avengers! don't go outside!

[@knurdyob]

The last scene of his ex with her DP making a mediocre and morally exploitative film but still having an air of superiority hit close to home for me. I went to film school and it was honestly the only place where I was bullied. It left me with a certain inferiority complex after meeting those people. I met a couple that was exactly like those two at the end of the film (maybe minus the moustache), and it just makes me wonder, have you been spying on my life? It's what "good art" is supposed to be, something so specific but somehow also universal. I thought the ex girlfriend would be there to be a talented and successful foil to the main character, but what you went with worked so much better. This was honestly kind of therapeutic. I feel a little less alone after watching it

[@ellastarburst736]

Maybe this is a sign of my immaturity, but I found the last scene to be a way of her and Chris finally finding a good life. She gets to express her pain in an artistic way and he gets to be an actor. His performance there was definitely more than mediocre at the very least. Though I suppose that it could also be a sign of her misinterpretating her motives the same way Darren did. At least Chris gets a happy ending.

[@krunchy1736]

After the first scene when Darren goes full in on his bs story and the long shot on the girl's face I was hooked. The funniest cringe I've seen in a while. The meta jokes with the actors switching roles in the class and then Amelia's new short film at the end is just so freaking good. I LOVED this movie. Black mask kidnapper really brought out some Aaron Paul energy. Everyone did such an amazing job!

[@calebpaige5113]

Joel, Bravo! My family is not made of avid movie goers, but we do have a regularly upheld tradition of the family movie experience. Everyone gets around the TV and we all watch something together -- it's how we see most of our movies. Last night we saw Chinatown, and today I was able to convince them to give this masterpiece try. None of them have seen any of your other works, but 40 minutes in and the entire room was laughing, guessing what was going to happen next, booing and cheering. It was one of the best social movie experiences I've had in a while. Sven had everyone endeared, and Trent "going on a walk" was one of the best group laughs of the movie. God, I feel I could gush on and on, this was splendid. Absolutely splendid. My highest of compliments to you, and all those who participated --- easily my favorite of the year so far!

[@Joel-Haver]

Awww this is such a lovely thing to hear, it’s heartwarming that you and your family had a fun time watching. Thanks for choosing my movie to watch together❤️

[@RatioHatesTheGame]

@@Joel-Haver Forget it Joel... It's no Chinatown...

[@fredericlenz4132]

I loved the sound design!

[@chrixtopherjane]

Yeah Mark really knocked it out of the park

[@Cleron]

​@@chrixtopherjanecrystal clear

[@pattrhymesyo]

It's crazy to see this if you've been following Cherdleys for a while and have seen all these people be goofy and ironic for years, and to have them all show their serious side feels like a gift.

[@TheFos88]

Absolutely

[@markkers1]

I could not agree more with this comment.

[@BetweenWaters]

Joel, this film of yours blew me away. Feels like I just watched a multimillion dollar budget festival darling that took months maybe years of work to finish. I can't fathom how you completed this in a month. You're a fcking wizard dude. And the score!? The performances!? Everybody gave it their all, hats off to your amazing cast n crew! If anyone is still doubting Joel when he says anyone can make films, you NEED to watch this one to the end. Downright inspiring work, man.

[@Joel-Haver]

Thank you for the kind words. Anyone can make a movie and anyone who has the faintest interest should! It’s fun and challenging in all the right ways.

[@al_sprays_paint8669]

He made this in a month???

[@maxime1776]

@@al_sprays_paint8669yes

[@piotrgraniszewski8544]

The micing technique was subpar and there was basically no additional lighting on set. But the script and the actual edit are bang-on. What an amazing journey! Professional level of storytelling.

[@chrisrichardson4693]

The power of good writing and an awesome idea!

[@Hattnanin]

Needed a lot of commitment from me to watch a movie on youtube where I usually watch 3-13 minute videos. But you got me hooked and I'm glad I watched it till the end! Thank you :)

[@Joel-Haver]

Thank you for giving it your time! Happy that it could hook you!

[@DayDrinkinClub]

Joel you are truly one of the Cassavetes-like pioneers of independent filmmaking. This film and those that come after it will be a milestone in film history and a beacon to young filmmakers everywhere, or at least to me. Never stop. -- Stuart Bassett.

[@Joel-Haver]

The best compliment I could hope to receive, thank you sincerely❤️

[@DayDrinkinClub]

@@Joel-Haver I mean it! ❤

[@spenceroswald4133]

The scene where Sven was giving his monologue during his script rehearsal I feel like sums up the overall theme of this movie. He closes it off with, “There’s so many different versions of Aaron at this point. They all fucking suck. I got no time to make a good one”. While it may seem like just a funny scene I feel like this is definitely the exact conflict that Darren was going through in the whole film. I could be completely wrong about that though and that’s fine. That’s just the beauty of art.

[@corn5410]

Maybe also Joel for that matter. So many versions and only a month to film.

[@koryferencz7391]

Joel!!! Are you kidding me?!? This was amazing, I can’t believe how invested I was in this story, the pacing was incredible and the performance of everyone involved was inspiring. Well done, sir. Well done.

[@Joel-Haver]

Aww thank you so much, everyone crushed it, lucky to have such talented friends. Thanks for watching❤️

[@Sethward]

I can't believe I got to be in such an awesome project! This delivered in every way Joel, congrats to you and the entire cast for bringing the friggen juice!

[@slickwilli409]

Where was the giraffe costume?

[@oliverkinsella]

How you're able to let me connect with every character that appears in this film is beyond me. From side characters like Mitsy's disappointment as she learns her date is full of shit and Trent's eerie malevolence, to main characters like Sven and Chad's brotherly dynamic that makes their falling out hit that much harder. It seems every character was written exceptionally multidimensional yet they all come together to describe the human condition. I find in your films a character flaw you like to draw on is the effects of lying. Not only does it resonate with me but you superbly make an example of the phrase "when you assume you make an ass out of u and me". Fantastic work Mr Haver, you inspire me everyday.

[@CrackerMilk]

Amazing. Thanks for bringing this content to KZbin. You're a necessary part of keeping KZbin's quality alive.

[@TheFos88]

Goated!

[@rtr5301]

at least 1 big gulp was harmed during the making of this film

[@MikkiPike]

SPOILERS >=O

[@evanp042]

Joel you’re absolutely killing it. One of your best in my opinion. Fantastic work on this and everyone played their roles so well. Feeling really blessed that we get 12 full length films this year.

[@unklekody]

THE ACTUAL RON LYNCH?!?? okay, now that ive watched the full film, id like to say that this is in my top 3 favorites of your work, Joel. This was a genuine work of art. Thank you for this. But still, again, RON FUCKING LYNCH???

[@Joel-Haver]

I was so lucky he was down! He’s a fantastic comedian and actor! Thanks for watching :)

[@unklekody]

@@Joel-Haver I first caught wind of him from Home Movies as a kid, seeing him in your feature length was the only suitable outcome. But again, great work man. I have a good feeling it had a lot more to do with your talent and passion than luck. 🤌🤌

[@strangewayfaringstranger]

Who?

[@unklekody]

@@strangewayfaringstranger comedian, actor, voice actor, look him up buddy ❤️

[@stephenfolk]

acting was all around great in this but holy shit, Blake and Sven man. incredible film, pleasure to watch.

[@djblackstripes]

Jesus man. I really liked the amateur documentary style of the last film, but this impressed me so much I had to comment. Samantha’s story didn’t play out quite how my brain wanted in the end and I wanted to see what happened to Cherdleys, but HOLY SH*T man the layers to the story. You beautifully wove together multiple perspectives of the same series of events. Obviously credit to all collaborators as well, but I’d argue this was the best indie film I’ve ever seen. Props Joel. The challenge you’ve given yourself is ridiculous, but I salute you

[@ComedyBros5]

Yes if I had one thing to nitpick it would be that I would've like seeing Trent and Cherdleys outcome.

[@ComedyBros5]

Joel, this is *the one.* Never seen such a stacked cast before! The shots, the framing, the color grading, the pacing, the dialogue, the locations, the acting - don't even know where to begin other than to say this knocks it out of the park!

[@Ajax_242]

This theme of "everybody is moving forward and I'm stuck" really resonates with me. It's one of my favorite emotions explored by Joel's movies.

[@brendanmiller4874]

Damn, the way that no one was able to just say what they really wanted to say. Everybody was behind a mask because it made it easier to deal with reality. Every possible opportunity for sincere connection is denied out of fear. Beautiful

[@michael2968]

the oscars been real quiet since this dropped.

[@BlakeRosier]

Mr Oscar hit us up with questions on how me made this movie so good

[@LAHWF]

This is my favorite film you’ve done ❤

[@soaphope3398]

Hi Andrew

[@Joel-Haver]

Thanks Andrew❤️ We gotta get you in one!!

[@antara-prabhat]

Otay! Otay!@@Joel-Haver

[@mattsings1988]

definitely same! this was mind blowing

[@Brigsky]

Gotta get Andrew in one! He’s a real actor! He was in Shithouse!

[@user-dr5lj1jt5s]

Loved this movie, scene rehearsal between Sven and Samantha, and the ending were my favorite parts, very beautiful scenes, I love seeing you let yourself indulge in a more ambitious story and you’re handling it with newly developed sensibility and maturity, stand out moments of cinematography too I love the scene with the umbrella, “I’m not meme-ing” and the whole bitcoin investor date scene in general was also the funniest part of the whole movie btw

[@joey3179]

God dang Ron Lynch!? Home Movies ROYALTY!!!!!!! Recognized that sweet voice right away. Bravo, bravo.

[@ItaliaPonticorvo]

Was an amazing time filming this with you Joel!!! You rock. Thank you 🙏🏽

[@SteveRobertson-m4c]

You were great in this, congrats!

[@ItaliaPonticorvo]

@@SteveRobertson-m4cthank you!! ☺️☺️

[@Joel-Haver]

You’re the best Italia! It was such an honor to make this with you!

[@jus_sanguinis]

Haver got talent. P.S. I thought it will be a harsh drama, when Lenkarski took a knife.

[@joshbigbee8733]

So cool to see you all putting your acting chops to work. Nice Job Blake, Chad, Spens, Mitzy, Sven and everybody else who I’m unfamiliar with. This is very impressive Joel.

[@slumberspeak]

been a fan of your full lengths since "forget about everything for a while". i mean this genuinely, this one felt like a huge step forward in your development as a filmmaker. really really well shot, written, pacing on the edit was great.. hell I can even tell your creating a really solid environment for good performances. well fucking done man.

[@kylemartinez6514]

I'm really in love with this film. I was really invested in each story line and found myself laughing a lot. My favorite bit was the theater scene when they acknowledged they were still doing the mirroring exercise, gave me a really good laugh. The callback at the end was so good, and showing Darren at the end of the scene was such an ironic cherry on top.

[@tobyainscough]

I love that you deny your audience the artifice of a pay off. In your movies there is never really this big moment of release. Trent's character doesn't turn out to be the hero, the kidnappers don't get their comeuppance, Darren never gets to explain himself to Samantha, Shane is an actual person not just a guy selling something, and Amelia doesn't just get over her shitty relationship now that she's successful its still with her. Life just goes on in your films and I love that about them. It felt like this was really personal for you, there seems to be a reflection on your earlier work like 31 days, Island, and I'm Going to be Famous with the Darren and Amelia scenes. With the whole reality vs filmic reality and the unclear line between performance and authenticity you know? (idk how else to articulate it properly but like you know the reality of performance and what not if you catch my drift) You really are one of the few filmmakers who I believe is truly in touch with reality. Keep going. You and your work have inspired me so so much. Thank you!

[@sergio_jose]

His ability to capture life as it is in a beautiful cinematic context is expressed best in the film he did about his grandparents imo. Just two elderly folks living life, waiting out the clock, knowing it's going to end soon but just enjoying the routine they've built until it's over. Fully content in the cycle they've created while knowing it can't last forever. I feel elements of that in everything he makes. Really creating art out of what simply is, with an air of existentialism and wistfulness/nostalgia. I'm Roger Ebert and i approve this pretentious reply to a well thought out youtube comment.

[@tobyainscough]

@@sergio_jose You should check out his previous film with his grandparents its called "Hugh and Gloria" if you like the most recent one its more of the same in that.

[@geckyoskitz]

This movie was beautiful and needs to be STUDIED and I need 200 video essays about each individual character NOW. They all felt so real!!!

[@leedayunderwood]

Joel, I don’t mean to alarm you, but your film seems to be stuck in some sort of square box! How are we supposed to enjoy the big action scenes like this?

[@mishXY]

4:3, baby 😎

[@dordly]

​@mishXY the best

[@mitos1199]

4:3 for the win!!

[@Joel-Haver]

I don’t know how this happened, somebody please help it is stuck!

[@stevenkelley2662]

That's just the Box Office. All the best films have it.

[@Mongo148]

I found this hilarious, borderline absurd, and filled with compelling characters portrayed beautifully by absolutely everyone. Outstanding job to Mr. Haver, cast & crew; stoked for ten more movies

[@isaac9721]

Wow, that was great. All the trent parts makes me wonder what it would be like if joel made a full thriller movie.

[@chewierug]

maybe it'll be his october film !

[@ComedyBros5]

I would love to have seen the outcome of Trent/Cherdleys.

[@alexander123987]

Just wow. So moving. Thanks for being an inspiration for gentle self reflection, Joel.

[@OccasionalHaHa]

7:40 The sudden incredibly formal "May I approach?" got a belly laugh from me.

[@BlakeRosier]

took me back to acting school

[@DieEinstes]

Art. What an amazing experience watching this. Well done Joel to you and all your talented friends involved (in font of camera and the back of it).

[@HavanaSyndrome69]

When the actor he found (Josiah) started blowing up his plan and the main character was in the car listening and freaking out ("What the fuck are you doing?") I laughed a lot. This was very fun.

[@Ping54]

I dont think i fully know why I started watching this. But Im real glad i did. This came out so much better than I was expecting. Your ability to mix slight bits of humor into a serious scene without taking away from the impact of that scene is incredible. I cant wait for the next one.

[@inefavelerrante]

a freaking rollercoaster of emotions and genres and pacing and acting and cinematography! the sillyness from the sketches, the profoundness from 'pretend that you love me', a thriller setting out of nowhere, mind-bending script from 'goodlongpee the movie' and of course, the ever-present and very human character arcs since 'taking a little time...'. this is joel haver in 90min.

[@Topcatyo.]

This was fantastic. This had my favorite qualities of a Coen Brothers film, and I really enjoyed watching it the same way I do one of their movies. I love the intertwining of characters, who each feel like they all have a lot of depth and personality to them and we're just getting a snapshot of them through the lens of the movie. Even minor characters who don't play much into the actual plot feel fleshed out and full of personality that feels distinct without ever becoming unreal. The way they do intertwine is really fun to watch play out, with surprising appearances from characters in different scenes. I was really gripped by the plot of this one, I really do think the structure for this is top-notch. Everyone put in a great performance. I don't want to say this is your best film yet, but dang did you do a great job with this. The two films you've released this year have been stellar so far, and I'm really excited to see what you have in store for the rest of the year. Great work!

[@danielthehuman107]

Joel you've really pulled something off here. It's like if Pulp Fiction was about people attacking each others' gummy emotional insides instead of shooting each other with guns. This is possibly your most ambitious story yet. Every performance was immaculate, especially shining within the kidnapping storyline, and that one-er, wow. I thought I was content with the Joel solo films where you play all the characters, but seeing this makes me think that, in the midst of your experimentation with this 12 feature project, you've stumbled into something special. This roster of unbelievably talented people you know really shine under your direction. Their comedic timing during sketches is one thing, but who knew they all had this in them??!! I cannot believe how good Blake is, I was shocked at Sven's serious side, and utterly enthralled by Cherdlys and believed everything he screamed or whispered. You also managed to make Trent creepy, didn't know that was possible. Anyways, I adore your acting, but at the risk of this sounding like an insult, I really hope this marks a point where you can feel more comfortable telling your stories with the spotlight on other actors, because they SHINE, but more importantly: there is a noticeably improved intentionality and focus behind the camera. I love your acting, I love your directing, but when you go all in on one the results are magnificent. This is proof of that to me. I don't even know if I understand the ending yet, but I _felt_ it, and I welled up during that final shot on her face, observing the apology she never got, the closure that she has to meticulously portray in order to ever experience. This movie is messy and twisty in all the right ways and I look forward to watching it a second time to feel it all over again. Well done. This must have taken it out of you, maybe do a one-take monologue this month and call it #3 haha. If that means we can get more films like this one down the line, I'm here for it.

[@5Amigos32]

You called #3 being all one shot turns out it was also extremely ambitious

[@danielthehuman107]

@@5Amigos32 haha I did accidentally predict that I guess lol.

[@fossil.painting]

This is so impressive, Joel. So different from last months film, but equally as excellent. Looking forward to 10 more!

[@jares317]

Just finished watching this. I believe you really outdid yourself with this one, Joel. I really enjoy your other feature films, but this just made me speechless for a minute. Great sense of humor, amazing pacing and just a compelling narrative for the whole duration of it. The protagonist is really and irredeemable loser from the first momento we see him, it's one of those daunting personas you can't shy away from, he just can't help himself. But the fact that this horrible, horrible protagonist takes a back sit and we get to watch the other characters unravel is a brilliant touch, just beautifully done. Makes total sense with the movie's name: it's anyone else but him. Sorry fo any spelling mistakes btw, english is not my first language.

[@Joel-Haver]

This is beautifully put, thank you. Glad that the movie connected with you. Thanks for watching❤️

[@AlexWilliams-yd4dv]

This is HUGE! Thoroughly enjoyed my time with this. What a film.

[@dustingarner4620]

This might be my favorite film of yours, or at least up there at the top with Pretend That You Love Me. I was enthralled from the stop, and it just stays amazing all the way through. Everyone's acting was phenomenal in it as well. You have so many amazing friends!

[@Bigpooch]

I'm loving the pace of these movies, the simplicity of the scenery and setting just brings all the key pieces to the front, like the performances drove this movie so hard, the plot was deep but simple to follow, and every character just felt real and pronounced. I'm too illiterate to comprehend every factor but I loved this, the whole crew did a great job, and I can't wait to see what else is brewing.

[@reportedbooch697]

Dropping an entire feature length movie a month after the last one gotta be the most big dick thing I’ve ever seen

[@MINECRAFTLOVER4000]

hes doing one every month

[@hollowbox5723]

i mean yeah that's like the entire plan

[@HonsHon]

Basically, what the replies are telling you is that this ain't just any big dick move. That dick is moving on for miles.

[@toewoe]

​@@MVHighlightDo you know what a movie is?

[@John-b8n4z]

​​@@MVHighlight why are you even here

[@Dambiello]

Loved this movie. It's pretty unbelievable that a movie this high quality is free to watch. You do wonderful work, Joel and everyone involved. Bless y'all

[@thesnooch]

Everyone involved did such a fantastic job….But Blake fucking SLAYED!!!!!

[@RamenDenominator]

🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝KIWIWALL

[@BlakeRosier]

woah thank you so much

[@thesnooch]

@@BlakeRosier of course dude. You got mad talent, everyone that watches your channel notices. Waiting to see more of you as brandon rogers episodes come out as well.

[@tylerdewey915]

The Super Bloom scene is a fantastic shot. It reminded me of Midsommar.

[@mrfriendly504]

This film is my favourite of all your movies. The acting is great and the comedy is amazing.

[@ShayTaylor-si3dp]

This is incredibly well done. The quality is far beyond what i expected to see in a short film on youtube wtf

[@justin_ashburn]

Oh. My. God. This is such a good movie. If I paid a fortune to see this at a theater and bought a bunch of overpriced snacks I'd be happy to do it again to see this again and introduce new people to this movie. Bravo and well done! Really looking forward to a full year of this quality entertainment.

[@jerikhendrickson]

This was so great. I stopped to rewatch the Josiah rehearsal scene before continuing the movie.

[@crispychubs]

This was an actual masterpiece. Like. I sat and watched the whole thing on my tv tonight. I saw it dropped today but I had to finish working and finally 10pm rolled around and I finally just had the time to turn it on and sit here with my emotions while watching it. This was great. It had everything in it. Joel and company, this was amazing. The acting, the sound design, the emotions, the editing. All of it.

[@jplveiga]

Don't forget the PHOTOGRAPHY!! beautiful shots

[@hendrixj.8356]

this feels like the beginning of something, a lot of these actors will be famous some day

[@strangewayfaringstranger]

Ha in what way?

[@CyberScoundrel]

Holy shit dude. This is... exquisite. The writing, cinematography, the ACTING my God every single person fucking crushed this, with imo particularly special performances by Blake, Sven, Chad and even though they weren't in it for long, Mitsy really sold the first scene and got me hooked in. This was bloody great Joel.❤

[@fergie6163]

This was really fun, thanks Joel - you've absolutely nailed the humour in this absurd sequence of events

[@JJNincorporated]

This was superb, Joel, this was like Tarantino meets Guy Ritchie meets JOEL f-in HAVER. Bravo.

[@sidj6957]

this is very well made, especially for a movie with such a low budget. The acting was phenomenal, but what really stood out to me was the writing. I feel like this movie was describing a narcissistic collapse: Darren rotating his many manufactured faces until he is forced to stop acting and reveal his true self. And the end payed homage to that: Darren, wearing the vr headset, symbolically placing himself in a "false reality" and when he removes it, he's crying. The actors are all in this meta dynamic: a movie where real people are playing fake people pretending to be real people pretending to be fake people pretending to be real people. Its a cycle. And whats so poignant about it is its something that stays with you and makes you think after it ends. It makes you think about your own relationships, your own "mask," it has you question whether that interaction you had was real or fake. A big theme of the movie was about performances: performances in front of an audience that really doesn't care. A solipsistic performance that is written, played, and directed for the self and only the self. And the person on the receiving end is just a soundboard for that performance with no true, authentic, intentional connection being created between two people. There are only a few scenes where people are actually authentic with each other. My favorite scenes were the girl and the kidnapper: where she read the script and started laughing, which made him laugh. As if to say how cringey all of this performance and masking is when no real connection is being made. And then the end scene when the it was revealed there was no real acting job and the kidnapper, having reached rock bottom, "unmasked" in front of her. And I love the scene where Darren barges in and blames the teacher for his troubles, and everyone applauds his "acting" even though that was a real emotion. As if to say when you spend your whole life behind a mask, no one will believe you once you remove it. Great work, I'd love to see more of this from you.

[@sosghost1918]

holy shit the acting in this film is incredible, once again you did an amazing job directing joel

[@f3ynman44]

1:11:00 - 1:15:27 Wow! Thats an amazing "oner" (long take)! The acting in that scene and the acting in general throughout the movie is superb! Joel & Co, you guys just keep getting better and better 👏

[@bowsernator438]

That really inspired me as a filmmaker, thank you Joel

[@XxThatGuyOverTherex1]

This was a great film. The shot with Blake and Cer Spence at the end was so cinematic. Beautiful looking area. I'm sure the genius work of Brad.

[@Meyermagic]

Unironically, I laughed and I cried. It was hard to watch at times, at the beginning I almost paused it out of that cringe response to something both embarrassing but also raw. This really reminds me of Fargo (1996), and I'll need to rewatch it and compare them more. Outstanding work, Joel.

[@sunla]

There are so many layers to this, it's like Inception, but it's deception, like a... In/De-ception mind twister, I love it

[@uhani]

i fully thought this was going to be a really "memey" thing- but was so in love with it all! legitimately hooked me. really, really great work to everyone involved!

[@lemonosis]

Came back to this after watching ‘it just takes time’, i absolutely love how human and painfully real all of your creations are.

[@AramilsMusic]

All these performances are stellar. I could really zone out for a while and leave my mundane troubles for one and a half hours. Great job everyone involved and thank you Joel!

[@sombrsyrn]

I’m so proud of you, thank you for having me my talented friend

[@rubendwyer9010]

Hello Joel, I am not sure if this will reach you, but just wanted to say that I am currently in just utter despair, and your films/short films, and videos in general bring me such comfort and hope, you have no idea, thank you is simply not a phrase that I can express my gratitude with, you're brilliant, I mean it Joel. Thank you.

[@JuliaGarbe1]

Wow. This was amazing. It just kept getting better and better as the stakes got raised. The characters were so complex and interesting, the acting and direction was great, it was simultaneously hilarious and sad. Another great score by Kevin. Thank you for making this Joel, I'm already excited to rewatch it

[@RamenDenominator]

Tremendous work all around! I would watch a whole series starring Trent and Molly's characters, and they were two of the smallest roles in the movie. Blake as Darren is award worthy. 🏅

[@jebus456]

This was truly a work of art, thanks for this Joel! Well done to the whole cast/crew!

[@markschonfeld2241]

This is my new favorite film of yours! Excellently done everyone!

[@chasecloutier3890]

Man this was a really good movie. Makes me want to leave a comment even tho I don’t even know what to say about how good that was.

[@Joel-Haver]

Thanks for watching my friend!

[@sergio_jose]

Good films are a character study. Great films are a study on the characters. Great work, Joel and everyone involved in the making of this.

[@alexcarlson3903]

Absolute Rollercoaster of emotions 10/10 would watch again!

[@LegitLongevity]

Absolutely stunning, my favorite one yet Joel. You never fail to capture my attention with such veracity

[@daveinjones3594]

This is great, enjoyed it. Needs a sequel to follow up on some of the story lines.

[@deekin2134]

I'm absolutely speechless. This is incredibly and so wonderfully done!

[@bennettwilliams_]

Genuinely one of my favorite movies now.

[@Joel-Haver]

Aww thank you, it’s an honor❤️

[@allanpritchett3578]

First of your features I’ve seen(and first movie I’ve watched in a bit) and really enjoyed it. You really have a way with making feel feelings which is interesting as I am not usually very connected when watching movies. Great job and I’m gonna go watch some more of your work!

[@_MC529]

Holy shit, Joel! This was so good?!? How tf did you do this in a single month????????

[@ParkerRudolph]

This soared past my expectations for a movie made in a month on a nearly zero budget. I liked the plot, the little moments, the acting was incredible, shots were very intentional and beautifully composed, and the ending was wrapped up in a bow. So good! And this movie really had me thinking about life differently. Thank you! I did not expect to feel this way after the film and it was just so beautifully done. Incredible work to you, all the actors, and everyone who was a part of the project. The music fit really well with the scenes. Solid music.

[@TristanBakon]

I clicked on this and I can't stop watching. Very distinct Joel style. Love it and wow

[@josephlongshore6013]

This is the first film of yours that I've watched. It was actually great. I will be watching more.

[@MrOnosa]

Bravo. I'd like to give my reaction to this in depth. I need to write down how I feel. Spoilers ahead. This was difficult to watch, kind of like how Grave of the Fireflies was hard to watch. It was valuable to my life to watch this, but it was a struggle. The ending made me tear up, so please understand the rest of this was written after going though an emotional journey. I was not ready for that ending. I wasn't sure how it was going to end. And it was a freaking gut punch. Of course the girl who dated this irredeemable person needs an apology so bad she fabricated an entire production just to get it. It's like when you've had a bad day, take a shower, and replay the day in your head but this time all the right things happen. You have the best responses, they see how brilliant you are, and it feels good but then you realize it's all in your head and what actually happened DID happen and you got to just chalk it up as a bad experience. There's no real way to do it again. There are so many characters in this movie. I'm blown away by it's production. And, not just characters, scripts! There are, like, 4 or 5 different scripts inside of scripts going on here. Like, damn, all those weeks of making short films really shining through here. The scene where (i forgot their names I'm so sorry) the girl who got abducted is first laughing at the script with the captor, and then they do it for real, and then it was all a sham.. dude. It really makes you wonder what gives experiences value. Can I just say that the cast in this movie are amazing? At many points, the actors are acting as amateur actors. I'm not an actor but i can't imagine acting as a stilted actor. That sounds so hard, like an opera singer singing out of key, it's unnatural but they did such a stellar job. When they flipped back into their "not acting" role, it was so real. I still can't get over the ending. It was never about Darren was it. I hated him. I hate how he's surrounded by good people that he takes advantage of, knows he's doing it, and can live with himself afterwards. He learns nothing. But it wasn't even about him at all! This has gotten long, sorry, I'm not really use to watching indie movies. I just like Joel Haver. I'm trying to unpack this film. I'm not sure where reality begins and ends here. Which, I think is the point? I'm excited to watch Joel's director comments in the other KZbin channel. I want to know why they filmed it at a 4:3 aspect ratio. I was surprised it didn't shift to 16:9 in the final scene. It didn't need it, this isn't a critique, I was just surprised is all. I really appreciated this film. Thank you to everyone involved in creating it.

[@TirgumLabs]

HOLY CRAP!!! This is a REALLY good film! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a film so much and never had to roll my eyes at anything. The script, the directing, the production, the casting, the music, the pacing... - all of them amazing! The humor was great and was weaved seamlessly into the drama. I can't believe how well the cast members could do great acting and terrible acting. I loved the layers in the story, the character depth, the raw emotion. Also having "Mr Lynch" in a movie is always hilarious. @Joel Haver, I'm having a hard time believing that there's a way for you to top this movie, but I wish you the best of luck!

[@AidenBrown-0212]

The fact that a large percentage of Joel’s subscribers won’t watch this compared to the shorts makes me sad. This was honestly unbelievably good considering the length of time Joel has to create this

[@thedukealastor]

Binging all your movies today and I love love love this one so much. So many good moments and the whole thing feels so authentic. Subscribed years ago for your animations and shorts but these are just as great if not better and I’m glad you made time for them ❤

[@artdegreeaftermath]

Beautiful. Each shot looks so good daaamn. Acting from everyone was strong. Cherdleys killed. And I love how you reimagined scenes like 1:06:08 vs 1:09:56