Easier with Practice

Writer Davy Mitchell takes his younger brother Sean on a road trip to promote his short stories collection. Davy gets a random phone call from a stranger named Nicole (voice Katie Aselton) in a motel. They get into a phone sex relationship. He meets Josie at a bar but he gets interrupted by Nicole and Sean brings Josie back to the motel room. Lonely introverted Davy begins a long distance relationship but Nicole refuses to give him her number. Sean teases him about it. Davy starts dating Sean and girlfriend Sarah's friend Samantha (Marguerite Moreau) after a party.

This has an interesting idea and a few interesting scenes. However even the good stuff is problematic. The lead character is so pathetic that it's hard to watch. Brian Geraghty is a good TV actor but this problematic lead has to be played by somebody with a ton of natural charisma. I'm thinking Paul Dano. Talking on a phone is not visually cinematic. Talking to Samantha is twice as interesting visually. The two-truths-and-a-lie game has great potential. Kel O'Neill really puts a big fat fastball down the middle of the plate. The movie needs Davy to hit it hard. It's a letdown moment. That should have been the turning point leading a big climax. Instead, it goes into an extended downhill slide and a final unsatisfying twist. Also Katie Aselton should not be Nicole.