Fiona: Are you retarded?
Aidan: Why does everybody keep asking me that?
If you’re going to create a drama that’s based on only two characters and reliant on dialogue, you’d better have the ability to write and back up the ambition that comes with the territory. Alexander’s drama is a film that wasn’t an immediate win for me, I’ll admit; I found it cliché, a bit redone, and lagging. But upon further delving into the story, “A New and Accurate…” is a rather tight drama romance with an interesting inadvertent allusion to “Eternal Sunshine…” with a hint of “Before Sunrise.”
Erik Wolfe’s Aidan is an interesting confused go getter looking for a direction in the world, and there’s Jennifer Stackpole who is perfectly cast as the unlikely ideal woman Fiona, who helps Aidan come to a realization about his life. She’s not the typical idyllic woman as she’s void of any cliché or actual artificial personality, and seems awfully approachable. She looks like an actual woman, and that makes her character an interesting guiding light for our character Aidan. Stackpole is lovely, and she really fits into her performance. “A New and Accurate…” is a dialogue heavy and verbose New York based drama that I really enjoyed, mainly because it reminded me so much of a Richard Linklater production. Hell, it’s so well written even the small jabs at the production by the characters worked with flying colors.
Erik Wolfe as Aidan is a likable humble individual who I often cared about even when he griped about his life. The dichotomy between the two people who drift to one another and find it impossible to tear themselves away will constantly have you asking about their fates. Will they fall in love? Will they be friends? Or are they just kindred spirits just meant to encounter each other just once? Alexander relies on the talents of his cast, and it’s a wise move; the two are simply stellar and provide a great dynamic of two strangers finding a common bond in spite of their vast differences. But then Alexander never keeps Fiona an idyllic figure, he instead turns the plot a bit on its head, and begins to delve into Fiona’s life and personality.
She’s not the perfect free spirit she’s first depicted as, and the direction taken into the second half works due to Alexander’s gradual transformation that further elevates the film. “A New and Accurate…” is less a drama about a holiday fling and more about random meetings leading to something that gives you a new perspective on life, thus Alexander gives a full explanation of what the title alludes toward, and his movie comes full circle. I admit that I was a bit disappointed with the climax. Though the general delivery of it is sweet, the way it all comes to a close feels so safe and pat to really take seriously. Alexander never really just leaves it as a tale of two people finding each other and drifting apart. While I like happy endings as much as the next man, it felt like a bit of a cop out to have the build-up and then suddenly have it end on such a saccharine note, that sadly felt tacked on at the last minute.
As for the first half hour, it often veered closely to art house dribble to become an instant sell. The black and white photography followed by the convenient meeting felt too self-indulgent and only until after we finally progressed into the story could I be convinced to dismiss the convenience of the meeting between the two. Kudos to everyone involved in this production, “A New and Accurate Map of the World” is an ambitious and utterly entertaining drama that won me over thanks to the talents of Alexander, and his strong cast; this is something I’d definitely pay to see. Linklater fans need apply.