Last year I was glad to see cinematographer Matt McUsic's dramatic thriller “Shamelove” a classic tale about a simple plan turned horribly wrong, which then snowballs into murder and bloodshed. "Shamelove" star Lia directs “Sweet Thing” which incidentally possesses some of the more interesting set pieces and rather interesting visuals by Lia who has a great sense of making the world behind the camera seem much different from ours. “Sweet Thing” may be another of “self-discovery” indies, but what sets it apart is that Lia seems to aspire not for dramatic dialogue, but more for mumblecore sans the obnoxiousness. Perhaps it’s just the natural performances from the female duo who bring us some of the most earnest performances in an indie in years. Lia has the challenge to posit two female characters with vastly different stories, and intriguing character development and it quite often works with some fantastic results, as he delves into their eternally drifting lives and how happiness will possibly never be at their reaches.

Liz is a scattered drug user conflicted about her gradually drifting boyfriend who wants to be with her, but not around her, while (in my opinion the more interesting sub-plot) Jody is a perpetually confused rolling stone with a Peter Pan complex who finds a semblance of happiness in her small green truck where she decides to sell ice cream on a whim. This is, of course, her excuse to interact with people as she becomes more obsessed with interacting with children than her business. The relationship between the two women is awfully engaging with some truly good interplay, and a telegraphed and wrenching development in their friendship that may decide where they go in their lives. Jennipher Foster has a very interesting charm to her character Liz who places her boyfriend in immediate danger during many instances, but clearly seeks some sort of adventure in a life that’s based around mediocrity, and monotony. Ison is personable and very strong as the flaky Liz who just can’t please her parents and isn’t sure who she is. With the inevitable complexities of the direction in their lives, the climax is slyly open ended and reminiscent of “Five Easy Pieces,” as Lia sets up another gem in his growing filmography.

Lia's character based drama is an easy sell to fans of films like "Lost in Translation" and "Five Easy Pieces." It's a compelling little indie that grabs you with the direction and comfortable writing, while in the end, the ultimate highlight are the stunning performances by Ison and Foster who launch the story to great heights.

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