by robotGEEK
Filmed in and taking place in Los Angeles, Reunion is a dramedy from filmmaker John W. Kim about mistaken identity that leads to hijinks, confusion and feeling of belonging and purpose. When Guy (Jake Choi), a lonely mortician who's struggling to keep his family business afloat, decides to attend his 20 year high school reunion, he thinks it will be an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new ones and maybe even be a new path to positive things. When his car breaks down on the way to the reunion, he accepts a ride and is taken to the wrong reunion and almost immediately mistaken for the reclusive and mysterious billionaire whom everyone was hoping to meet for selfish reasons.
The thing you'll notice right off the bat is that Reunion wears it's heart on it's sleeve. It's a well-balanced mixture of comedy and drama with, dare I say, even a tinge of whimsy. When Guy is mistaken for the mysterious tech billionaire Ellison who funded the reunion as well as a promised appearance, Guy suddenly feels special and seen. Despite his repeated efforts to tell the truth, he ultimately goes along with the ruse because it's the kind of attention he's been craving for so long. When former classmates of the reclusive billionaire mistake Guy for Ellison, it's all for selfish reasons and financial gain. As complicated past relationships and feelings between the ensemble cast begins to emerge, their true motivations for attending the reunion come to light, revealing painful emotional scars and decades-long grudges.
Jake Choi, the clear standout, does a fine job in the lead as Guy, a man with a heart of gold desperate to make a change in his life. He pulls off the vulnerability very well while also coming across as completely relatable. You'll also see a few familiar faces for sure. The supporting cast is a mixed bag of quality with some being quite natural and others looking like they're acting in a play. The score by Andrew Yarovenko adds a strong dynamic to the film, giving it that whimsical feeling when needed, and the tone effectively lighthearted. I think my only criticism would be that even at a just 88 minutes long, it still feels a tad too long. At the end of the day though, you can feel the love that went into this. It may come across as an episode of a tv show at times, but it's made with passion from everyone involved both in front of and behind the camera, and that's not something a lot of people pull off very often.
Reunion has it's Los Angels Premiere at The Beverly Hills Film Festival on April 16th at 8:50 pm at the world famous TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. You can purchase tickets at https://beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com/film/reunion/
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