South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival – Ahhh, Coffee. The sweet, life giving nectar. Whether you’re one who likes your coffee as black as your soul, an iced coffee addict (like me) or an over the top extra as hell coffee shop orderer… odds are pretty good at least some part of your day or week is fueled by coffee. The addiction we accept, the addiction we encourage. The vice of choice for countless working people. Except, that is, Marvin (Charles Rogers). Marvin is the odd man out on his weekly team meeting Zoom (Ah, 2020) as he sips his sparkling water while everyone else obsessively discusses their new espresso machine flavor du jour.

Marvin decides to take the dive, performing due diligence by following coffee themed social media pages and buying the best of home pod coffee machines. He buys an adorably nerdy coffee mug, and he stands anxiously watching his first cup brew. And from that moment on, he just wants to talk to someone about his new discovery.

Adorably nerdy Rogers is the driving force behind this story – his sweet dimples and charming awkwardness make him impossible not to fall in love with, even as he stumbles through the social discomfort of being a non-coffee drinker in a coffee drinking world. His fumbling is endearing, and when things take a turn towards the lovely towards the end of the short, you can’t help cheering and rooting for him and his hopeful future.

Simply put, Marvin’s Never Had Coffee Before is delightful, delicious, and invigorating – just like that first cup every morning. Refreshing and comforting, warm and sweet. Charming beyond words, and wonderful to the last drop.

Marvin’s Never Had Coffee Before reviewed as part of our South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival coverage.

8 out of 10