I have a soft spot in my heart for comfortable, feel-good movies. Sometimes, I'm just not in the mood to be blown away by special effects, or to be emotionally drug all over the theater, or to laugh myself silly.
When I'm in that sort of mood, a film like Calling It Quits is just what the doctor ordered.
It's one of those little indy films that went straight to DVD. Often, you never know what you're going to get with those bad boys, but rest assured: this is a wonderful movie.
It stars easy-going Dennis Boutsikaris as Dante Milestone. Dante is a successful businessman who is undergoing a mid-life crisis. The rat-race is too much for the fifty-something, and he decides to retire early and try to find the passion for life that he once had.
He is accompanied in his search by best buddy Jake (Robert Clohessy), who encourages him to find something, ANYTHING to get his head back in the game.
Early retirement gives Dante a bad case of too much time with himself, and he is soon out of the house seeking...
Along the way, Dante notices the persistent happiness of the manager of the store where he buys his cigs. "Are you really happy, or are you just a good businessman?" he asks. The answer sends him on his own journey for fulfillment, something he hasn't felt since he was a passionate artist in high school.
We are treated to flashbacks of that time in Dante's life, including his meeting of the girl of his dreams, Alba. We see the fateful day where he tells her that he's getting into the advertising game "temporarily," just to get enough money to fund his art. We can all guess how THAT turned out.
We are also shown the tragic turn that took Alba away from him, starting him on his spiral that eventually led to calling it quits.
Lastly, we see the ultimate answer he seeks, found with the help of spiritualist Cynthia.
Calling It Quits is a laid-back film, but a perfect one for a rainy evening. And if you've felt like you've lost your own way through life's travails, you'll find a special enjoyment in watching Dante stumble around and finally find an answer that works.
Order your own copy of Calling It Quits directly from the producer here. (note: as is my policy, this is NOT an affiliate link. I don't accept any sort of pay for reviews. And I have been informed that it will be July 15 before the DVD's are available.)
