Title: Free Time
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Ryan Martin Brown
Starring: Colin Burgess, Alexander Bliss, Jessie Pinnick
Runtime: 1 hr 18 mins

What It Is: Drew (Burgess) is a guy who’s having an existential crisis as the end of his twenties approaches. Determined to try and enjoy his life he quits his, rather cushy, desk job. In his attempts to embrace life he forgets that sometimes we need money in order to do things like…well live. Now he’s reeling and trying to get back to his old job. Meanwhile, the band he is in is also changing direction and his keyboard might likewise be useless soon.

What We Think: I think we’ve moved past the need for mumblecore films. The genre, which saw a rise and quick fall in the mid-2010’s is just…tired at this point. This isn’t even really a great example of the genre full stop, it’s just not endearing in any way. Burgess is nails on a chalkboard annoying and the whole time you really just want him to grow up and/or grow a pair. As it is having his Drew as the central focus just doesn’t work. This isn’t necessarily Burgess’ fault he’s working from Brown’s script but what’s there is hipster bullshit. Annoying, entitled and dumb.

Our Grade: D+, I can’t recommend this. We as a society no longer need to view a film in which our goal is to feel sorry for an entitled white dude who’s “going through it”. Fuck that guy. Maybe don’t quit your job. Maybe don’t be a complete asshole at band practice leading to your eventual dismissal. It’s hard to root for Drew but it isn’t for lack of Colin Burgess trying. It’s simply from a lack of good, coherent material to work with. This isn’t that and for me that’s where this utterly drab piece fails the hardest.