Safety Not Guaranteed
Directed by Colin Trevorrow
- comedy
- romance
- science fiction
The story
Three magazine employees head out on an assignment to interview a guy who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel.
What it’s like
Soft, unfussy natural light and handheld camerawork that stays close to faces, with small Pacific Northwest towns rendered in overcast greys, diner booths, rain-streaked car windows and scruffy beach edges. It has the loose, improvised feel of mumblecore, with conversations that drift and overlap, awkward pauses left in, and a warm, folksy score of acoustic guitar and light piano that never swells too hard. The vibe is wry and tender, a bittersweet comedy with a dry grin and a hopeful undertow, the sort of thing to watch on a lazy weekend afternoon or a quiet evening with a blanket. The pacing is easygoing and conversational, with the comedy arriving through deadpan timing rather than gags. Its emotional core is a guarded young woman slowly unclenching, and a cynical man who finds himself quietly hoping. Language, sex talk and awkward sexual references appear, but there is no violence, gore or real menace; the mood stays gentle and low-stakes. Made for people who enjoy quirky, character-led romance, indie sensibility and a story that treats wistfulness with a light touch.
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