One type of film seems like it meanders around never really making a point. The idea as conceived by the film makers is usually to realistically depict life. After all few of us truly know which direction our lives will take. For many the only way to get through life is to learn somehow to go with the flow as it were. There are, of course, some directors that can pull of such a feat; men like the late Robert Altman. He was able to direct an ensemble cast with multiple intersecting plot lines like no body has ever done. Like must great film makers he has had a profound influence on the succeeding generations of new directors. One such person is Jason Freeland who wrote and directed ‘Garden Party’. While it is admittedly no where near the standards set by the master he does do an admirable job of getting his point across. By this I mean he does his best at this stage in his career. This film has several problems in its construction but it comes across as an honest effort and that counts for a lot. It is obviously done on a very meager budget and was premiered in the Seattle International Film Festival followed soon after by a very limited theatrical release consisting of only a handful of screens. There it had a low box office by any standard. This is one example of why there is a need for independent films. It allows a film maker to try out new things and most importantly provides a place where they can get the practice they require in their craft to grow. It is a form of experimentation and as such is often prone to more failures than outright successes. In this case there is enough to hold the interest of the audience but not garner a lot of word of mouth buzz. Many new directors have been taking the easy way to build their careers. They rely on the old, now hackney favorite the horror flick. The fact that Freeland choice to develop a complicated character study shows he is serious about his movies. It is now possible to decide for yourself. The film is getting its DVD release through Lion’s Gate. They have been one of the leading distributors of little unheard of Indy flicks for sometime now.

As a writer and director Feeeland has only one other film to his name, ‘Brown's Requiem’ a rather well received crime thriller staring Selma Blair. In this case he goes in a completely different direction. Instead of having a story that has a distinct direction to follow this one permits its characters to drift through the overall story. One thing that makes this story particularly difficult is most of the characters are fundamentally unlikable. Albeit they do have certain qualities that can evoke some degree of sympathy but most of the troubles they face are self inflicted by making bad life altering decisions. This places this story in the broad category of the cautionary tale. It you have teenage or young adult children you will be very glad they don’t wind up like the characters portrayed here. It is set in the seedy portion of the culture found in Los Angels. Perhaps a point could be made that many large cities have similar unsavory aspects but the seductive lure of the film industry has been a standard plot device for many decades and is more or less specific to this metropolis. It is only natural for a young person to try to be successful. In this story the phrase ‘I’ll do anything to make it’ takes on a dark and unseemly tone. There are several sub stories provided here. They flow along occasionally merging and then moving on. Some collide resulting in changes in the way the characters deal with each other.

As a director Freeland is certainly a person to watch in the future. He has the knack for telling a complicated set of stories as we have here. He is also talented with the way he sets up each scene; the composition is very good in just about every frame. Much of this is certainly due to how well he worked with cinematographer Robert Benavides. He has been around the Indy circuit for awhile and is excellent with lighting and setting the camera to capture the moment properly. The main difficulty here is there is little in the way of a central theme other than LA is tough on impressionable young people. This is too abstract for the audience to hold on to. It many emulate real life but it doesn’t help in forwarding the stories. Freeland does try to take the high road by avoiding some of the potentially more explicit scenes. He takes it down a notch from the overt use of sex that many directors feel is necessary in a youth oriented flick. Freeland also relies heavily on old clichés that have the tendency to take the audience out of any feeling of immediacy they may have muster.

Sally St. Clair (Vinessa Shaw) is a realtor and of late she has been increasingly successful. She has a hobby that has had a major impact on her business of selling property; she cultivates some high power marijuana. Whenever she gives a client an information packet she includes a nice bud or two. This helps to get her invited to the right parties and events to meet new perspective clients. She is above much of the grunt work that her business requires. Those menial tasks were typically relegated to her assistant, Nathan (Alexander Cendese). He was originally from the Mid-West and came to Los Angels in pursuit of far grander plans. At one point Sally meets an aspiring young artist named Todd (Richard Gunn). Their conversation is initially light but the overtones that Sally imparts to her words leave little doubt in the mind of the audience as to what her true intensions are for the young man. We also get to meet the one character that can bring about more than caring with the audience, April (Willa Holland). She is fifteen years old and has left home to escape a sexually abusive stepfather. She meets up with some lesbians who try to help her out. April also meets Sammy (Erik Smith) who wants to become the next big singer songwriter. He has been meeting up with Todd who is certain that Sammy is gay. Sammy is undecided in his sexual identity. To pay the bills April starts posing naked for a sleazy internet pornography site. Adding to the mix here Todd is hooked on internet porn and pulls Sammy to retrieve some embarrassing photos.

This is reasonable try at film making and its faults are mostly due to inexperience not lack of talent. The cast and crew will ultimately hone their respective fields of endeavors and I look forward to what lies ahead in their careers. Once again Lion’s Gate has uncovered an independent film that shows a lot of promise. If you are a die hard fan of this type of story telling it is worth while.