LFF 2013 - The Bounceback

You won't go far in the comedy genre without realising that the fundamentals of relationships are key to the proceedings and drive the narrative towards its resulting laughs and eventual conclusion. One particular film that burrows deep into relationships at this year's London Film Festival is The Bounceback, as we tackle the lives of four close friends all experiencing troubles in their own love lives.

Cathy (Ashley Bell) and Stan (Michael Stahl-David) were once a happy couple living together and enjoying every moment with one another. The same could be said for Jeff (Zach Cregger) and Kara (Sara Paxton), but things have changed and now the two couples are no longer in their pairings, instead tip-toeing around with their friends and avoiding their dreaded exes.

That is until Cathy heads to Texas to visit Kara, and Jeff decides to brave a reunion with her via a convenient same-timed visit to his best friend Jeff. With the four all in the same state together and their determination to avoid one another slowly coming to a peak, it is only a matter of time before they will have to address the issues at hand and come to some resolution.

The Bounceback is one of those comedies that is warm, funny and provides a decent 90 minutes entertaining without becoming too strenuous or tedious. The main reason for this is in its foursome running the show from the very off; two very different pairs that work extremely well as a dynamic. On one side, the more reserved and softer individuals in Ashley Bell's Cathy and Michael Stahl-David's Stan, while the other pairing of Zach Cregger's Jeff and Sara Paxton's Kara are brilliantly wild, crazy and unpredictable.

These are four friends who are simply connectable in every single way; their relationship troubles something that many of us will relate to, and the instance of new people coming into their lives also very true to life in the way it is presented. While the couple of Bell and Stahl-David are particularly focused on as the main protagonists, it is in fact our 'side' couple that have the best moments.

While Jeff's obsession and desire to win at the air sex championships may seem a little odd and unsettling, his whole persona and one-liners are at the core of what makes The Bounceback as funny as it is. That and the brilliance of Sara Paxton, whose self-confessed slutty Kara is a great character for the brilliant actress to let her hair down. With various colours in her hair and a willingness to cause mayhem, Kara is everything a rebellious woman is about and her putdowns and actions represent hilarity in the picture.

Director Bryan Poyser has obviously drawn from real-life situations for the film as it feels refreshingly realistic in its approach with not only the characters but also particular scenarios. Whether it be a text exchange between Stan and new girl Haley (Addison Timlin) or a 'bros before hoes’ argument rumbling among friends, these are all moments in the film that instantly click that button in the mind and draw you in to the events unfolding.

Poyser knows his audience and for the most part gives them what they need, but at times it does feel like it needs a little kick of inspiration to make the film something refreshingly original. At times, it does feel like this is the kind of film where you already know the final outcome of the story and also require a few more laughs, but for the most part The Bounceback is a reliable horse to back for satisfaction.

It's not a ground-breaking comedy by any means but The Bounceback is a fun and laugh-worthy ride in the world of relationships. Sara Paxton is the star of the show but credit must go to the whole cast as they comfortably breeze through and give the audience something to smile about.