Katie Aselton takes on double duties as director and star of this low-budget indie, in which she and Dax Shepard play Annie and Darren, a Los Angeles couple who realize that the spark has burned out of their seven-year marriage. In fact, the pair can barely recall the last time they had sex—snuggling and doing crossword puzzles in bed seems to occupy much of their evening time together. To reanimate their relationship, the couple agree that each can enjoy a no-strings-attached quickie without any fear of repercussions. Needless to say, their respective one-night stands are not easily pulled off. Even if one overlooks the flawed premise of The Freebie—the dubious strategy of kick-starting a stalled relationship via guilt-free adultery—the improvisational dialogue and lethargic pacing result in a film too loose to be taken seriously as a romantic drama and too bland to succeed as a sex comedy. Not recommended. (P. Hall)
The Freebie
Phase 4, 77 min., R, DVD: $29.99 Volume 26, Issue 2
The Freebie
Star Ratings
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