Home, James

A low-key, budget-conscious independent drama, Home, James is a relationship tale involving a talented Tulsa-based photographer named James (Jonathan Rosetti, who also co-wrote and directed the film) and a hard-drinking socialite, Cooper (Kerry Knuppe). Making some money at night by driving inebriated people home, James meets the drunken Cooper, and then bumps into her again at his neighborhood bar. Romance blooms despite competing objectives: James has been invited to exhibit at a gallery, while Cooper is planning to move to New York. James's disappointment over the relocation leads him into a downward spiral of alcoholic excess and a personality change, jeopardizing his prospects for career success. Although the story is simple, the film succeeds as character study, serving up closely-framed moments between individuals that capture a wide range of emotions. Recommended. (T. Keogh)