"Local filmmaker Rebecca Rodriguez has earned a solid reputation for such shorts as Soul Collectors and Floater. But with Coming Up Easy, the writer-director makes an impressive feature debut. Family dysfunction and domestic abuse are at the forefront of this powerful drama. Solid performances, stylish direction and an assured script fuse together to make Coming Up Easy a poignant drama laced with touches of bittersweet comedy."
David Walker, The
March 3, 2004
"Coming Up Easy, from writer-director
Rebecca Rodriguez, is a ha
Mark Mohan, The Oregonian
April 2, 2004
Emotional, heartfelt roller-coaster ride of a dysfunctional family
Highly recommended ....This movie stayed with me for
quite sometime; which, as a real film lover, I say as a compliment. This movie
is about something, and I really felt this film. The straightforward direction
style, the strong performances, the visual excitement of the fantasy scenes,
and the well-crafted script kept me involved on a cinematic level, but the
story and the empathy for Lily (the lead character) had my emotions in a
whirlwind. This only comes from the kind of storytelling that draws you into
the characters lives. Ms Rodriguez' fine directing uses just enough cinematic visual effects to add
flavor to the film without showing off and drawing attention to her directing. I'd love to see more work from this talented writer/director.
Art Hatley
A Stunning Entry
This dynamic portrayal of a young woman gamely moving on and up from the chaos, hurt and enduring bruises of an abusive past--one that suddenly lands on her present doorstep in the form of her struggling sister, hellion brother-in- law and stability starved nephews--heralds a stunning entry into features for filmmaker Rebecca Rodriguez. If the look and feel of this remarkable effort are any indication, her future in cinema is very bright indeed!
At times subtle, other times overpowering, "Coming Up Easy" is always
riveting, rings authentic throughout and features an exceptional cast.
Highly recommended.
Jesse Oppenheimer from
Very Cool!
These were the first words that I thought of when I watched this: It was sweet and intense and colorful and real. I liked it very much. On more than one occasion, I was surprised by the direction events took. This is good.
There were flashbacks and they didn't inte
Edward Martin III from
