"Where Are We Going?" is a 2014 indie film by Brotherhood Studios that attempts to be a Reconstruction of Romantic Comedy tropes.
This is the story is of Elliott, a slightly anxious young man who is set in his ways until he meets the free spirted Sidney, who turns his life upside down and sets him fighting for her love with the most film-trope-aware antagonist to ever be on film.
Elliott just got out of a tumultuous relationship with the interesting (read: odd) Cora. He is invited to a house-warming party by his ex and there meets Sidney, who changes his outlook on life... though... not as easily as everyone makes it out to be.The film goes on to explore (in very realistic detail) exactly how a relationship can be good AND bad for people, how it affects the ones who know them, etc.
It ultimately delivers the message that although the future is uncertain, and you don't know where you'll end up, you are happy now and that's the important thing.
The film was an independent project that was funded through the use of Kickstarter: [1]
and will be released January 2014.
You can watch the Teaser here: [2]and the Official Trailer here: [3]
Additionally, it has a Facebook page for updates.
The film can be seen here. The gag reel here.
And with commentary.
This film provides examples of:
- Big Brother Mentor: Max, despite being a laid-back bro, has some pretty sagely wisdom about life... that he then gives to Elliott.
- The Cameo: Actor Jimmy Dix makes one during both parties. Both director/writers appear at the house-warming party.
- Chess Motifs: A plays a brief game with Elliott, to show him he's outmatched.
- Classical Music: A's signature. Used to great effect in the trailer.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Harper qualifies, with her odd comments and jokes, and her obsession with pies. To Elliott, A comes off like this.
- Cluster Bleep-Bomb: The post credits scene is the perfect example of this.
- Compete for the Maiden's Hand: A's dramatics definitely fall into this. Exaggerated in the fantasy battle at the end.
- Crosses the Line Twice: "Take Your Pants Off" is this in-universe, as Elliott really didn't want that level of frankness from Max.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Both Cora and A clearly have more to their backgrounds than is revealed in the film. Both sharing a past with medication.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Whilst trying to read House Of Leaves at the housewarming party, Cora imagines gunning down people in the crowd.
- Emotionless Girl: With a few exceptions, Cora ends up as this.
- Falling-in-Love Montage
- Fantasy Sequence: The film uses these a lot, mostly relating to Cora.
- Geeky Turn-On: Sidney has a shirt that says "Talk Nerdy to Me"
- Genre Savvy: Every character displays knowledge of Romantic Comedy tropes.
- Hard-Work Montage: Although Elliott doesn't do anything besides walk... he DOES steel himself and walks a ways to repair things with Sidney.
- Hilarious Outtakes
- It's Not You, It's Me: Elliott tells Cora that she is a "beautiful and unique person" but doesn't want to get back together.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Cora says this after being tempted by A to help him break up Sidney and Elliott.
- Jump Cut: Used with Elliott to show how bored he is and later to show he is getting ready to face A.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Pretty damn heavily. There are several lines that threaten the wall."Nothing's filmed where it's set anymore... not even those, ya know, low budget films made by college kids.""It's such a wizard car... it's a shame it never seems to (looks at camera) show up."
- Multiple Endings: There is a (half-joking) ending for Where Are We Going? that features Sidney and Cora getting together.
- Precision F-Strike: Sidney sends a text to A that says Fuck off A.
- The Reveal:A is sleeping with Sidney and Cora is still in love with Elliott. Also Sidney's father is dead.
- Running Gag: A person going to knock on Cora's door, realizing it's simply a blanket, and knocking on the wall next to it.
- Shout-Out: Oh, yes.The post-credits scene is a combination of two things: The end-credits scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and the Bleep Censoring from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
- Socially Awkward Hero: Elliott has shades of this, from having some awkward silences to doing downright hilarious things over the course of the film.
- Straight Gay: Jack. Normal dude, who is gay.
- The Teaser: The beginning shows Sidney saying she and Elliott should break up, then cuts to black.
- Tragic Villain: The brief glimpses into who A really is reveal that he had his heart broken and might've had a drug problem.
-
Trolling Creator: The second teaser is Pippin from The Lord of the Rings saying "Where Are We Going?" and then Max winking at the camera. It runs about 10 sec. long. - True Companions: Max and Elliott are complete bros. And Max is always there for Elliott.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: Sidney and Elliott never have sex as far as we see... and Cora still has desire for Elliott.
- Vanity Plate: For Brotherhood Studios, a burning wood block with carved letters is shown at the beginning. The end credits show the creation of this plate (this is in Stop Motion).
- Wild Teen Party: A loving shot of tequila and the rowdiness of the party during the "Ole" song make the house-warming party this.
