HD/35mm – 93 minutes – 2010
Starring Carrie Brownstein, James Mercer, and Renee Romannose
Cinematography: Greg Schmitt
Editor: Chris Jones
Producers: Neil Kopp and David Cress
Written and Directed by Matt McCormick
Some Days are Better Than Others is a poetic, character-driven film that asks why the good times slip by so fast while the difficult times seem so sticky. It premiered at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival and also screened at the AFI Film Festival as well as the Museum of Modern Art as part of the New Directors/New Films series. It is distributed by Kino Lorber. The film explores ideas of abundance, emptiness, human connection and abandonment while observing an interweaving web of awkward characters who maintain hope by inventing their own forms of communication and self-fulfillment. Katrina (Carrie Brownstein) is a twenty-something reality TV enthusiast and animal shelter worker whose world falls apart when she finds that those important to her are often not what she hopes they would be. Eli (James Mercer) is a mid-30s slacker who could offer a thoroughly researched social critique explaining all the reasons why he shouldn’t get a job. Camille (Renee Roman Nose) is a socially handicapped thrift store attendant who spends her days sorting through the donated discards of other people’s lives, and Otis (David Wodehose) is an 84-year-old eccentric filmmaker and inventor who strives to be recognized for his work. Produced by Neil Kopp (Old Joy, 2005,Wendy and Lucy, 2008) and David Cress (Paranoid Park, 2007), the film is about the nuances of communication, the desperation of heartbreak, and the struggle to maintain hope through the passing of time. It’s a sad valentine to the forgotten discards of a throwaway society, and a story about knowing when to hold on, and when to let go.
“McCormick has translated song into cinema, where tone and feeling supersede plot and arc. No doubt some viewers will not know how to react to the muted moments of the film, but for those willing to sit back and watch the verses unfold, it is a lilting, beautiful melody to behold.”
Leslie-Stonebraker, New York Press
“The film itself seems to be going nowhere slowly, but in this case, that’s mostly a good thing. It allows observant writer-director Matt McCormick to take his time on the small moments and make us care more about his characters.”
David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle
“You will not see a film with more indie rock cred this year—or maybe ever…”
–Eric Grandy, The Seattle Stranger
“Mr. McCormick is a talented miniaturist, and “Some Days” is full of scenes and details that will make you smile.”
Mike Hale, The New York Times
“…perhaps what struck me the most about it is its quiet confidence. McCormick has resisted easy jokes, satirical jabs, or surface-level ironies, instead investing in his characters real warmth and compassion.”
–Scott Macaulay, Filmmaker Magazine
“Some Days Are Better Than Others is just an excellently scripted, beautifully shot, and surprisingly well acted movie about restless maturation that shouldn’t be missed….”
–Chris Estey, KEXP Radio
“once you fall into McCormick’s slow but lyrical groove, his film’s quietly compassionate meditation on abandonment becomes quite moving.”
–Jeff Meyers, Metro Times
For more information please visit www.somedaysthemovie.com