“Something Casual” does a great job of navigating when you’re not looking for something more than casual, and it unexpectedly finds you. The film is unique in the way it uses dance and art to express the things we can’t say. The movie makes you ask yourself if hooking up is safer than trying to find something real when the dating scene seems incapable of any real connection. Love and intimacy have different meanings in modern dating today than decades ago.
“Something Casual” in a Time of Hookup Culture
“Something Casual” follows a struggling, first-generation artist, Alex (Greetham), and a professional dancer, Frankie (Curda), as they navigate the soulless casual hookup culture of Los Angeles. Dating apps and casual sex reign supreme. Also, a series of misunderstandings leaves these two star-crossed lovers oscillating between confusion (ghosting and ignoring) and obsession (sex and pasta).
Dating is hard to do in any city, especially in Los Angeles. Love is many things. It can be incredible and calming, but also messy. Navigating dating apps in L.A. is not for the faint of heart. Then, you add unaddressed trauma, ghosting, and self-worth issues. And then you wonder if it’s worth the hassle past scratching an itch.
The film is written and directed by Brandon Buczek. Buzek captures the awkward first meet dates, raw conversations, ghosting, and wanting to be seen in a way that truly feels authentic. The most profound scenes were the dancing scenes and the ones in silence. So much is said and unsaid. The film shows both sides of being ghosted and the ghoster.
The choreography is courtesy of the JA Collective.
Being Seen and Vulnerability
Frankie and Nico long to be seen in their life. Not the pretenses and walls they portray that protect them, but who they really are. Each has moments that allow them to be vulnerable in a way that they’ve never been before. The film also isn’t afraid to let us see the choices that can be made when we start to feel emotions that scare us when faced with a relationship that could matter. Whether it’s reverting to what’s familiar or just removing those emotions altogether.
Nico Greetham is astounding as Alex. His performance shows someone who is idealistic but not unaware of his faults. Piper Curda’s performance feels grounded, and in the moments Frankie is vulnerable, you feel the weight her character is carrying. Their chemistry brings the messy, raw, and satisfying conclusion to their story.
Los Angeles plays its own character within the film. It does not show the glitz and glamor that the city is known for, but its underbelly. Visually, it allows the viewer to see the real city with beautiful murals, farmers market, artistic performances, and local haunts. It’s also a love letter to the city of Los Angeles.
“Something Casual” made its world premiere at the Dance With Films L.A Festival on June 24.
