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In Search of a Midnight Kiss

EMAILPRINTIFC Films

In Search of a Midnight Kiss reviews
64
6.7 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 25 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 11 votes
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Comedy  |  Romance

Written by: Alex Holdridge

Directed by: Alex Holdridge

Release Date:
Theatrical: August 1, 2008

Running Time: 90 minutes, B/W

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: Not Rated

Starring Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian Matthew McGuire, Katy Luong, Bret Roberts, and Twink Caplan

In Search of a Midnight Kiss is a funny and bittersweet look at love, sex, and modern romance. With an unsold script, no concrete plans, and a love life reduced to getting caught in compromising positions, a twenty-nine-year aspiring writer, Wilson just had the worst year of his life. That is until his best friend, Jacob, browbeats him into posting a personal ad for New Year's Eve on Craig's List. When Vivian, a sexy, sarcastic, and seemingly blind-date-from-hell responds, the two strangers embark on an unexpected, chaotic, and hilariously awkward journey through the black-and-white streets of Los Angeles hoping to meet the right one before the stroke of midnight. (IFC Films)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

88

ReelViews James Berardinelli

Wonderfully romantic and romantically bittersweet. It's not about forever; it's about now.

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88

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

We increasingly admire the quality of the acting: Both actors take their characters through a difficult series of changes, without ever seeming to try, or be aware of it.

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80

Empire Patrick Peters

Lovingly photographed in a monochrome that recalls Woody Allen’s Manhattan, this is a slickly scripted rom-com.

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80

Film Threat Eric Campos

The film also doesn't try to wrap things up nice and neat. That's not how life is and that's not how this film goes. But for those who can handle the truth, they should be prepared for a very moving experience. And Freddy Krueger references.

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80

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Smart dialogue, an impeccably crafted story, and eye-catching LA locations make this low-budget feature by Alex Holdridge the most worthwhile date movie I've seen in some time.

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78

Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt

Holdridge is clever enough to keep his characters from slipping into outright narcissism, or when they do, he's familiar enough with the art of mainstream moviemaking to balance the exhausted with the ecstatic.

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75

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White

The rude naturalism of the opening scenes between Wilson and Jacob recalls the spirited vulgarity of "Clerks," with dialogue that would be hopelessly offensive were it not so funny and true to life.

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75

New York Post Kyle Smith

Takes a bit of "Swingers" and a bit of "Manhattan" to create a slacktacular vision of uncertain youth in today's L.A.

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75

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

A romantic comedy with film noir shadows.

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75

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

With a moody overlay of songs supplied by Okkervil River and Shearwater, In Search of a Midnight Kiss also serves as a millennial's answer to Woody Allen's "Manhattan."

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75

San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego

It's a handsome and entertaining small-scale picture with nice acting, some crisp (and some crude) dialogue and effective direction.

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70

The Hollywood Reporter Sura Wood

An amusing ensemble piece about the troubles of dislocated twentysomethings attempting to find their way through life and love.

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70

Variety Dennis Harvey

Performances are aptly quirky and ingratiating, Holdridge's seriocomic balance nicely judged. But the most outstanding element in an accomplished low-budget package is Robert Murphy's lensing, which recalls "Manhattan" in its B&W celebration of a cityscape.

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70

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

Profane, hilarious and ultimately heartbreaking, Alex Holdridge's black-and-white feature In Search of a Midnight Kiss has a gutter purity that makes you root for it all the way and forgive its patches of ultra-indie awkwardness.

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70

Washington Post Mike Mayo

Despite some scenes that have the feel of an acting or writing workshop, these are believable, complex characters. Their story has a full measure of Judd Apatow raunch, with a dash of "Swingers" emotional sweetness.

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67

The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray

Even when Midnight Kiss is sputtering, viewers can tune the dialogue out and just watch the scenery in one of the most "there"-y L.A. movies ever made.

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67

Portland Oregonian Stan Hall

Very much a time-and-place film, by 2030 it will be useful fodder for historians.

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60

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

In Search of a Midnight Kiss has its derivative moments along with awkward patches -- the inelegantly shaped climax tries to force uninteresting parallels between the two central couples -- it manages the difficult task of creating a sustained, plausible and inviting world.

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60

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

By the end, Holdridge has captured the bittersweet complexities of romance with a wisdom that proves surprisingly seductive.

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50

TV Guide Staff (Not credited)

Painfully undermined by its central characters.

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50

Village Voice Scott Foundas

Holdridge's film oscillates wildly between low-key romantic comedy and antic slapstick and doesn't always hit the mark, but it has charm to burn.

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50

Premiere Jenni Miller

The arc of the story mirrors "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset," but the writing isn't nearly as strong, nor the characters as believable -- or likable.

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50

The New Yorker Anthony Lane

In Holdridge's movie there is as much to repel as there is to allure, and I cannot imagine leaving a screening of it in anything less than two minds.

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50

Los Angeles Times Mark Olsen

If it were a parody of relationship-youth pictures, In Search of a Midnight Kiss would maybe be tolerable, but writer-director Alex Holdridge seems to be playing it with a straight face.

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38

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

It wanders and putters and follows its main characters around.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 6.7 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

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