EASIER WITH PRACTICE
Sex, Lies, and Cellphones…

Based on a 2006 semi-biographical article in “GQ” Magazine by David Rothbart entitled “What Are You Wearing?”, “Easier With Practice” is the big screen debut of director Kyle Patrick Alvarez.  Apparently, Alvarez found the original “GQ” article so fascinating that he decided to make a movie out of it.  The film tells the story of socially awkward, 28-year old author Davy Mitchell (Brian Geraghty).  Davy is touring the country to promote his book of short stories, staying in cheap hotels and reading aloud from his book to less-than-enthusiastic audiences at bookstores and colleges.  His traveling companion is his horny, sarcastic younger brother Sean (Kel O’Neil).  Davy and Sean’s road trip is not as exciting as it may sound, as we soon witness.  Socially awkward and lacking charisma, Davy’s narration is not exactly as titillating as, let’s say, Jackie Collins reading passages from her book “Poor Little Bitch Girl”.  One night, while alone at their hotel room, Davy receives an out-of-the-blue phone call from a sexy-voiced stranger calling herself “Nicole”.  Once she utters, “I’m horny, Davy…”, the conversation gets really dirty, really fast… and Davy soon engages in a furious masturbation session.  Before you can say “That was hot!”, the strangers are having regular NC-17 rated phone sex meetups, with Nicole playing sexual aggressor to Davy’s shy boy.  Soon, sneaking off to private spots for masturbation to Nicole’s voice becomes the highlight of our main character’s rather humdrum life.  The young man soon develops real feelings for his new girlfriend… and slowly, the two start to divulge personal information.  Davy tries to explain to his phone relationship to his brother with “It’s not just sex!”— which lil’ bro just laughs at.  As intimate as the conversations are, Nicole will still not give Davy her number (It reads as “Private” on his phone), and she declines to meet him in person.  It may seem pathetic, but this affair is as legit as it comes to Davy.  When the two brothers reach home at the end of their tour, Davy starts getting some attention from a pretty former girlfriend Samantha (Marguerite Moreau), but his feelings for the woman who he has never met torpedo any chance he has with his old flame.  Who is Nicole?  Will she and Davy ever meet in person?

In the era of Facebook, texting, skype, live chat, and streaming video, the idea of a movie based on phone sex seems a little anachronistic in 2010.  However, it is very plausible in this story, considering our main character.  Geraghty’s Davy strikes us as the kind who would flee like a scared jackrabbit the minute he thought that his object of desire may be watching him back-– let’s say, if the two hooked up via webcam rather than phone.  Actor Brian Geraghty is an attractive guy (See “The Hurt Locker” for another side of this performer.), yet he effectively plays a man crippled by shyness and the inability to “connect” with someone face to face.  This is especially apparent when you compare him to his cocksure younger brother, or watch him in the party scene.  Overall, “Easier With Practice” is a minimalist film centered around one character– and while it has its some good moments of drama, comedy, and pathos, I can’t help but wonder if this film may have worked better as a staged play– it’s just a bit too static.  The moment of this movie that would likely be of the greatest interest to my particular readers is when Nicole finally consents to meet Davy– but even to hint at any detail would ruin the surprise.   Let’s just say it’s a worthy payoff… but you’ll wish it could have been a better, more dynamic ride getting to it.

“Easier With Practice” is now playing.  Visit www.EasierWIthPractice.com for more info.