August at Twenty-Two opens with Cal (Ali Edwards), at one of a million auditions. As a 20-something New York actor she lives a pretty typical life. She has a career that flip-flops between gigs and classes, she has a charming apartment complete with Christmas lights as a lighting accent, and she has a gay bestie in Bobby (Jorge Felipe Guevara). This calm existence is thrown for a loop when Cal’s longtime friend and love interest Jacob (Clay Singer) returns to the city with his new girlfriend Emily (Lilli Kay).

Edwards, who stars in and wrote the charming script pushes her lead through the sticky nuances of human needs and wants, and personal growth that yields a flawed, yet strangely beguiling and sincere film.

As mentioned, Cal and Bobby support one another at night over takeout after chasing their artistic dreams in the big city. Then romantic echos from Cal’s past pop up as childhood friend, and lingering fantasy Jacob returns to the city. At a casual party, Cal learns of Jacob’s new girlfriend Emily and is immediately thrown off. Later, Emily and Cal forge an unlikely friendship that begins to grow into an ambiguous chemistry and romance between the two. With Cal chasing two possible love interests, bestie Bobby is left to follow the trail of debris as Cal pursues another path.

I think what charmed me the most about August at Twenty-Two was the unpredictable and natural path that the narrative took. Edwards‘ capricious script doesn’t follow the well-trod format of a New York City Rom-Com-Dram. Instead, the movie keeps the viewer on its toes, never really knowing where the next turn will lead. Things felt natural and organic in a way that escapes films guided by the studio-ordained templates that have come before. That’s not to say those are bad, it’s just to say that they rarely offer the pleasure afforded by cinematic risks.

Director Sophia Castuera nurtures the delicately crafted script to life on screen with a nimble touch. There are some wonderfully uncomfortable, Altman-esque moments of banter and silence that land beautifully. Castuera also knows Edwards‘ strengths as a performer and writer and chooses takes and beats that accentuate what she does so well. There are truly painful moments of awkward silence that resonate.

All of that said, a few things could have been pushed and others could have been cut.  Cal’s moments with the supporting characters in the film could have been further minimized along with a clearer feel for editing and story beats. Sure, the argument could be made that this is what makes the film feel organic, but even still, some moments linger a bit too much.

Rough edges aside, August at Twenty-Two is a refreshing take on the coming-of-age story of a struggling actor in the big city. As with life, I had no idea where things were headed but I was compelled to stay the course. August at Twenty-Two is why we love Indie films. It is lo-fi, unpredictable, and insightful.

7 out of 10