How Do You Know Chris?

OK, I gave it a 10 to help counterbalance the ridiculous underrated 6.65 it currently has from too many people who have overdosed on American over dramatisation and hyperrealism. Probably it's an 8. Still, it's a cracker because it is such a sleeper... it's so slow but never boring because it's so nuanced. Very good understated acting.

I hate overhyped American acting. Like the best Jim Carey is Trueman and even there he is way over the top. How do you know Chris borders on the predictable yet never is? It skirts boredom constantly but keeps your interest and never drops you.

It has Australian, and some British touches yet wouldn't alienate another national as the characters are so human, lovely yet flawed, and believable. It's not a story I would have watched had I known what it was going to be yet I am so glad I watched it now. The delivery was sublimely colourful and meaningful artwork with minimalist strokes. Characters are painted with enough brushes and tugs to give each depth, contrast, concern yet intimacy. Less is more. Really touching......

Well done and thank you. I feel blessed though it wasn't really about spirituality though maybe connection and disconnection? Maybe that is my experience of spirituality? If you watch it prepare for the slowest simplest movie on earth and then be intrigued by its vastness. Cheers.

It all starts on tram ride, where young Emi is on her way to the local laundromat. There she meets a man named Chris. The amusing meet-cute leads to him inviting her to his party later that night with several of his friends coming. She agrees to go, quizzically.

Emi arrives at his inner-city Melbourne apartment, and there's around 8-10 people having a drink and chatting in small groups. The little chats reveal that most of Chris' friends don't actually know each other - most of the conversations are in reference to "So, how do you know Chris?".

His connection to each guest is fully revealed...and there's some really surprising backstories.

Eventually Chris makes his entrance....and then makes a toast....and it becomes....

The characters are solid - we can all relate to someone from our own journey that matches each character - the chatty barman, the school sports hero, the geek with a hot missus, the suit-wearing high-achiever, and the girl with great party "energy" are just some.

It all builds to an "ending" which will definitely surprise some. But THIS movie is all about the journey.

This is an interesting film, and certainly quite different from the rest. There is a little clue on the middle about what may be happening. Of you didn't catch it, then you have to wait right to the end to find out what the party is about.

The premise for 'How Do You Know Chris?' drew me in, and for Aussie film buffs with patience (one tends to demand the other) this is worth a look.

A chance meeting with the protagonist at a laundromat leads young, attractive emo Emi to a party Chris has thrown where a small gathering of angsty inner city types get on each other's nerves for a period until the enigmatic host belatedly arrives at his trendy warehouse apartment (I'm guessing in Richmond).

Despite the free alcohol being taken advantage of, attempts at joviality fall flat as more prickly exchanges ensue between guests grappling with grievances stirred by Chris and fraught histories. Some may pick up on the early clue to where it's all headed as the otherwise affable Chris seeks to close the loop on his life's loose ends (albeit opening new ones).

Unless sparked by a true event, one ponders the significance of the movie being set in 2000, for there's few reference points. Suffice to say, house parties of the 21st century suck terribly compared to the drunken debauchery and hilarity of Don's Party based in late 1960's. Perhaps the stark social change in Australia and the way people interact and deal with their issues is the takeaway.

Whether the writers struck the right balance between maintaining the air of uncertainty at the expense of an underwritten screenplay is open for debate. Whilst the relatability of the characters works in its favour, perhaps an unhinged Cooley type (Don's Party) might have added some spice to the everyday canapés. Or an actor of say Guy Pearce's calibre may have attracted eyeballs in deservedly greater numbers. Although the irony of Chris' father figure / boss kitted out as Sherlock Holmes, in error thinking it was fancy dress, is a clever touch and deserves a mention.

Warmly shot on a tight budget, the paltry worldwide box office of $534 (at the time of writing) is somewhat tragic, much like the year 2020 when the film was released and parties, even as messed up as this one, couldn't even happen during Melbourne's prolonged lockdown. Realistically, this party barely got started, though the efforts of the cast in their commendable attempts, hold the film together.

This is an Indie film, Aussie made, so I wanted to give it a chance. I wish I hadn't. Because the ending which is probably telegraphed is entirely predictable, but the only thing that kept me watching is I thought it was too obvious.

This doesn't do anything to break the stereotype in my mind of Indie films of being needlessly bleak "because it's deep, man, and our societal system is bleak, my art reflects that". If you want to watch something uplifting, don't watch this film. If you want to watch something a with bit more in depth and that fleshes out parts of the human condition that we prefer to keep hidden, don't watch this film. It tries with the latter but handles it clumsily.

I'm not thinking of the characters and why they got that way, I'm just considering that the time watching that film could've been put toward something more productive, like scrolling Twitter or hand picking dust off my carpet.

If it ended a different way I believe would've felt better. The acting is great, considering the characters are not that well fleshed out and are pretty obvious stereotypes. It seemed to be building to something - but when it the ending went the way I thought it would at the start, I began to realise just how stupid the buildup for that ending was.

Also The movie is set in the year 2000. Besides making some parts of the conversation and giving an excuse for throwback hairstyles there's no real reason to it. It seems a waste.

The main character, Chris, comes across as unlikeable and boring, but enigmatic nonetheless. His motivations and reasoning for what he does just seem stupid.

With a more inventive ending, and more fleshed out motivations and characters this could have been a decent indie flick. But with an ending like that, as a rare viewer of this movie on a streaming platform, I deserved better than the insult this turned out to be.

There is talent that went into every part of this movie, maybe someone will read my review who is in the movie business and learn from it.