Leaving small town life in her dust, Adele(Vanessa Ray) moves wide eyed to New York City, and her best friend Sara(Megan Guinan) stuck in their hometown. Separate for the first time in ...
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Title: Not Waving But Drowning (2012)
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1 win & 1 nomination.
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Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Vanessa Ray | ... | Adele | |
| Megan Guinan | ... | Sara | |
| Lynn Cohen | ... | Sylvia | |
| Scott Bryce | ... | Damon | |
| Adam Driver | ... | Adam | |
| Isabelle McNally | ... | Kim | |
| Lili Reinhart | ... | Amy | |
| Ryan Munzert | ... | Big Guy | |
| Keith Pratt | ... | Keith | |
| Elizabeth Fendrick | ... | Maggie | |
| Ross Francis | |||
 |
Trinity Rose Smith | ... | Lila |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
|
|
Carly J. Bales | ... | Candy Striper |
|
|
Ford Barsi | ... | Handsome Boy 2 |
|
|
Donavin Best | ... | Middle Aged Subway |
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Leaving small town life in her dust, Adele(Vanessa Ray) moves wide eyed to New York City, and her best friend Sara(Megan Guinan) stuck in their hometown. Separate for the first time in their lives, the film charts new relationships with boys, girls and eccentric old ladies (Adam Driver, Isabelle McNally, and Lynn Cohen). Beautiful music sequences capture fleeting emotions as their lives move in unexpected directions. "Not Waving But Drowning" is paired with "The Most Girl Part of You" a dark, but sweet short film. This piece stars newcomers Lili Reinhart and Ryan Munzert and is also directed by Devyn Waitt. "The Most Girl Part of You" is based on a short story of the same name by acclaimed author Amy Hempel (At The Gates Of The Animal Kingdom, The Collected Stories) Written by N. Emanuele
Genres:
DramaCertificate:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
6 June 2012 (France) See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Color:
Color
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Regardless of your generation or gender, there's much to appreciate in this film about two young women moving from their adolescent lives into the wider world.
"Not Waving But Drowning" is the story of Adele, who leaves for New York City, and best friend Sara, who stays behind in their Florida hometown. It could be the stuff of well-trod cliché, but it is not. There are surprising twists and discoveries in their separate journeys as they try to retain their yin/yang friendship. Megan Guinan is wonderful as a multifaceted Sara who seems stuck in place, but might not really be so stuck. And the scene when Adele arrives in the big city is poignant, yet also very funny. Adam Driver is marvelous as the seemingly dorky, yet touchingly honest, new friend of Adele.
There are so many beautiful cinematic scenes: one involves a horse on a train; another involves Sara moving through a field of dandelion puffs that is lovely by itself, and the subsequent scene that reveals why she is gathering them is heartfelt and glorious. The characters develop through multiple experiences that are sometimes uncomfortable or worse. Yet, overall there's so much energy, humor, and truth that the film feels very balanced. The editing and music are dynamic and keep the viewer highly engaged.
The producer and director intrigue us with their short intro film, "The Most Girl Part of Me." It is not directly connected to "Not Waving," but is tied thematically and is a creative addition.