Great Great Great kicks off with a disconnected exchange following huge news.  Corporate worker Lauren (Sarah Kolasky) is told about her parents’ divorce by her mother.  Mom is aloof – almost to a numbing degree – but Lauren is shook up.  Her long-term relationship with Tom (Suck It Up’s Dan Beirne) is satisfyingly comfortable, but she suddenly fears of a future of boredom.  A flash-from-the-past in the form of a new co-worker/old friend (Richard Clarkin) triggers Lauren to create her own sense of spontaneity.

Great Great Great makes the audience understand Lauren’s poor decisions;  as a successful character drama should.  Director Adam Garnet Jones (Fire Song) has worked closely with Sarah Kolasky to bring this character to life.  Not only did they co-write the film’s honest screenplay, but it appears Jones has given Kolasky a lot of freedom during her screen time to identify with Lauren.  Because of her ability to discover and deliver, Kolasky gives a perfect performance that produces flourishing and potentially relatable results.

As I noted in my Fire Song review, Jones’ filmmaking is at its most potent when steeped in silence.  In Great Great Great, the sparse dialogue and reflective gaps provide layers to Lauren’s apprehension, Tom’s gullibility and eventual self-discovery, and her former flame’s intentions to establish something more meaningful.  Lauren and Tom’s newly implemented engagement only provides more fuzzy tension.  There’s also a wonderful yet minor arc involving Tom’s masculinity and the lengths he’ll go to prove his self-worth to the woman he loves and to himself.

Great Great Great sticks its landing and gives its audience many themes to think about afterwards.  Adam Garnet Jones’ film is, well, great.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie