BreakUp Season is one of those rare uncut gems. An indie melodrama that brings together the perfect ensemble cast with a flawless script, then sticks the landing. Writer-director H. Nelson Tracey has fashioned something that might seem familiar, since relationship melodramas are two a penny, but BreakUp Season is different. Everyone involved in this film is excellent, drawing pathos and passion from a conventional premise. Chandler Riggs and Samantha Isler are the couple who come apart after one night, leaving family members walking on eggshells. As Ben and Cassie, they share awkward intimate moments, while the script is spot on at mapping out their break-up. A careless word here, a thoughtless gesture there, and suddenly everything changes.
As this drama unfolds in the days that follow, BreakUp Season begins to evolve into something unique. James Urbaniak and Brook Hogan are exceptional as Ben’s parents, reading the room when things get fractious. Both Kirby and Mia are perfect examples of a loving couple that feels genuine, injecting some originality into this tired premise. Carly Stewart also carries some of the dramatic weight as younger sister Liz, bonding and berating Ben around Cassie, forging a genuine connection and adding another element. However, Jacob Wysocki might just be the standout performance bringing vintage Danny McBride vibes.
Image via Bondit Media Capital / Buffalo 8
As older brother Gordon, Wysocki gets some of the best monologues and feels the most fleshed out. Looking that laid back on screen is a real gift and he elevates every scene often without saying a word. An acknowledged under-achiever trapped by his own lack of ambition, who hides those insecurities by pushing others away. Casually sarcastic and constantly overcompensating, Gordon might just be the beating heart of BreakUp Season. A truly tragic addition to an already excellent cast, who are effortlessly convincing in this low-key indie effort.
Films like this make melodrama look easy, and the truth is BreakUp Season has captured lightning in a bottle. Not only do the cast never put a foot wrong, but every moment of this script rings true. That desperate need for reconciliation, those fleeting moments of unrequited love and anger, all coming together to create something special. However, what makes BreakUp Season utterly unique are those last 15 minutes where it sticks the landing. Convincingly closing out this rom-com without any smoke and mirrors or manipulation. Ben and Cassie part company on good terms, their separation feels organic and earned, but audiences are also able to experience a sense of catharsis. There are no last-minute dashes to far flung destinations, no unconvincing kisses in the rain, and no overbaked confrontations.
The true joy of the BreakUp Season comes through subversion, as a conventional premise gets reinvigorated with some razor-sharp writing. Where this ensemble takes it from there feels fresh despite the cliches and conventions. A combination of perfect casting and genuine collaboration that reveals writer-director H Nelson Tracey to be someone special. Not only negotiating the trip hazards of this well-trodden path but delivering an uncut gem into the world worth shouting about.
BreakUp Season is available to stream on Tubi from March 1st