Making the discovery of an unknown indie film is always a nice cinematic surprise. The trick of it is, finding one that’s good.
Barefoot (2014) Film Review
Getting into trouble is what Jay Wheeler (Scott Speedman) does best. He’s a natural black sheep in a family who enjoys a comfortable lifestyle. Without a claim to the fortune his dad has, Jay is trying to make it on his own in LA. Only trouble is, his definition of “make it” is nothing short of a disaster; all he does is earn a rap sheet and become in debt to loan sharks.
Part of his probation has him working at a hospital for mental patients, which is where he meets Daisy Kensington. After an encounter, Daisy (Evan Rachel Wood) follows Jay into the outside world where a befuddled Jay tries to decide how best to handle his new tag-along.
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One of the things I like best about browsing streaming services is finding a new film that doesn’t disappoint. This is sometimes quite a feat considering there are a lot (and I mean a lot) of bad apples out there. This is one I’d learned about quite some time ago, only as usual, until recent months, I didn’t see it. Though this story is a bit jagged at the onset, there beats a special heartbeat. It’s one of those easy to watch romance movies that has some quirk, and also knows just how to capture a sweet portrait of first love.
Making Barefoot even more special is the sweet persona that is Daisy. She’s an innocent which makes her impossible not to like. She’s a victim of unusual circumstances, so we have this desire to see her protected and it makes us root for her to find whatever her idea of happy may be. Contrast him with Daisy, and Jay is more than a little lost. Unlike Daisy, he’s lost in ways all of his own making, and it comes down to bad choices.
Though I wish this had expanded on some things (like time with Jay’s family, and seeing he grows from knowing Daisy), this little romance is pure delight from beginning to end. The characters step up and step out, and there’s a kind of warmth here that most movies miss. A kind of loose re-telling of Rapunzel, anyone who enjoys fairy tales will discover Barefoot to be enchanting.
You can find Barefoot digitally on Amazon Video
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Content: there’s implications a man tries to accost a girl (implied), and other innuendo (a girl asks a man if he’s thinking he’d like to sleep with her). We see a naked woman in bed in the beginning. There’s some commonplace profanity and thematic elements.
‘Barefoot’ – A Really Charming and Swoony Romance. Have you seen this sweet 2014 indie #romance movie? PS: It loosely re-tells the Rapunzel fairy tale! #Movies #WhattoWatch Click To TweetPhotos: Roadside Attractions
SO happy you enjoyed this film as much as I did, and gave us such a fantastic review of it!! There definitely is something about it that makes you feel you’re watching a modern-day fairytale… I love pretty much everything about it (with the exception of the profanity), including the pure connection Jay & Daisy share, the character arcs they both go through, the witty script, the side characters, & the fact it introduced me to the song ‘Love Love Love’ by Of Monsters and Men ?
I adore this film SO much. It’s got that “quirky” vibe that somehow works well with both the story AND the characters. One of my new favorites FOR SURE! Hopefully one I don’t wait YEARS to re-watch either. ;) As always, thank you so much for visiting and reading the review, Kirsty. Always nice to chat! :)