Olympic Dreams

Olympic Dreams 2

By Joanna Langfield

It would be easy to toss this one off as Lost in Translation lite, but that would be wrong. Because while the comparison is somewhat clear, this true, small sweetheart of a movie has its own integrity, charm and very cool backdrop.

Filmed on location at the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, this is the first film to not only take us to the venues, but also behind them. We see where the athletes sleep, eat and play. We also see where they go to the dentist. (Who ever thought of that kind of every day necessity when watching Olympians compete? Well, maybe dentists, but you know what I mean.) And this is where our story begins. Penelope is an American young cross country skier, an athlete whose first day race is over and didn’t go as well as she would have liked. Ezra is the volunteer dentist from New Jersey, showing up for possibly the bravest step he’s ever taken. Of course, they meet kind of cute. And, of course, their will-they-or-won’t-they/should-they-or-shouldn’t-they relationship takes up most of the movie. But it’s the modern, aware and fresh tone of the story telling, (screenplay written by the actors and director Jeremy Teicher) plus the irresistible peak into the Olympics that makes this one something special.

Winning, too, are our two leading actors. Nick Kroll, is the more familiar, in what I think is his fist starring role in a feature film, after earning many credits for his terrific cable and theater work. Known more for his comedic turns, this unfettered performance is lovely and should expand not just his repertoire but possibilities for future work. And I loved the athlete and filmmaker Alexi Pappas, starring as the lonely, disappointed skier. Pappas takes the camera with a tantalizing mix of confidence, ease and vulnerability. I can’t wait to see what she and her husband/director Teicher will serve up next.