The latest film from acclaimed indie director Jon Garcia, Love in Dangerous Times does an admirable job capturing love and relationships amid the Covid-19 zeitgeist.
As the virus spreads across the globe, struggling playwright Jason (Ian Stout) remains initially unconvinced of its danger. Cocooned in his small Portland, Oregon apartment, and unable to be with his cross-country family, he decides to write a play that reflects his life during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Beset by writer’s block and social isolation, he turns to online dating. His first attempt–connecting with cute Lila (Marian Mendez) on a dating app–takes a nosedive when he asks to see her boobies. It’s a bit of an out-of-character move for Jason but the guy at least learned from his mistake.
Through his monologue, we discover that Jason has contemplated suicide, that he’s seen combat overseas, and that he clings to the notion that love will save him. His guitar playing buddy, Ishmael (Jimmy Garcia) provides sage advice and support, but Jason still longs for a real connection with someone from the opposite sex.
Video chats with Jason’s father leave him melancholy. Like most parents, he’s unconvinced that his son can build a future in acting or playwriting. Instead, he urges Jason to work out his differences with his brother Brian, who lectures him on the risks of running his restaurant. Brian’s advice: go into the Tampon business during the pandemic and make a killing. Later, when his father succumbs to the virus, Jason and Brian argue and finally come to terms with what has separated them.
Desperate to connect with someone, he meets Sorrel (Tiffany Groben) his self-described ‘apocalypse buddy.’ An attractive ESL middle school teacher, Sorrel finds Jason amusing and easy to talk to. But as the pandemic spreads, both begin to seek refuge from depression and the tenor of the relationship escalates.
Perhaps the most interesting and revealing part of the film is when Jason engages Sorrell in Repetition, an acting exercise that involves an exchange of phrases reflecting how each perceives the other. The verbal pantomimes reveal the fears and insecurities each harbor; things couples typically share after they’ve had sex. They end smiling and admitting, “We’re a couple of goofballs who like each other.”
When Sorrell tests positive for the virus, they exchange ‘I love yous’ and their relationship takes a serious turn. He offers to deliver her medication and they finally meet in her apartment, each wearing masks and socially separated. After a few minutes, the two find themselves virtually making love, each describing what the other is feeling and doing, climaxing in simulated orgasm. Is this the future of sex during a pandemic?
Created on a shoestring budget of $2,000, the film explores romantic love and how people can preserve and repair broken relationships in the face of desperate times.
Love in Dangerous Times will be available November 3rd on all major VOD platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu from Dark Star Pictures. Here’s the trailer.
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
