TWO NIGHT STAND
By Gary Murray
Starring Miles Teller and Analeigh Tipton
Written by Mark Hammer
Directed by Max Nichols
Running time 86 min
MPAA Rating R
Selig Film Rating Matinee
Two Night Stand is a romantic comedy with a very young independent flair. The film stars Miles Teller and Analeigh Tipton. Analeigh plays Megan, a pre-med graduate looking for an MRS degree. Her long-term boyfriend has broken up with her and moved on with his life. She is devastated and needs some human contact. Basically, she needs a man to satisfy her internal itch.
She goes on-line, trolling a web site that is known for hook-ups. She finds and internet chats with Marc (Miles Teller) a young man who seems a bit overwhelmed by this woman showing interest in him. She offers to come to his apartment on the other side of The Big Apple.
Almost as instantly, these two jump in the sack and do the dirty deed. But, during the night, a massive storm has settled all over NYC. As Megan tries to sneak out and do the walk of shame, she finds that the door is snowed shut, with a four foot bank of white all over the city streets. She is stuck with a man she doesn’t know and has no desire to know.
The two try and make the best of it, basically ignoring what happened the night before. But, the idea of being intimate hangs over every bit of their conversation. As much as they try, there is just no way to ignore the fact they have slept together.
Eventually, the two begin to talk about the night before. Since they have decided that they will never see each other again, they both give honest critiques about each others sexual inadequacies and techniques. It is supposed to be a brutally honest moment but comes across as something from a bad situation comedy.
The film builds to a big reveal that isn’t much of a surprise. As the snow stops and the streets clear, the two know that the bond they have built in a short time can easily be broken. The question becomes—do they want to keep going as this strange couple or go on their separate ways?
Two Night Stand is much more of a character study than a motion picture. It feels like a play and has that confinement of space. While it would work perfectly on stage, the entire exercise becomes a bit claustrophobic. Even though it seems to be the point of the film, it does not work that well.
Of the two leads, Miles Teller is the more successful performer but Analeigh Tipton is the better performer. While the two do have chemistry in their scenes, it may be more because of the strength of Analeigh as a performer. On more than on occasion Miles Teller seems without direction.
There is almost a 1980s feel to the film, like a John Hughes flick. There is more than a little bit of The Breakfast Club in the mix. Director Max Nichols seems to have done his homework both on the teen flick front and the romantic comedy front. He melds the two genres almost seamlessly, with a few clunkers here and there. But for a first-time director, he does a good job with the material.
Two Night Stand is more an interesting experience than an interesting film. At a scant 86 minutes, it still feels padded here and there. It would have worked better as a short film than a feature motion picture.
