Real love stories never unfold like the movies and the result is “Making Out,” a locally made film about people who are looking for a hyper-realistic dating experience.
“Making Out” is premiering on Feb. 5 at the By-Jo Theatre in Germantown. There will be two showings: One at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
“‘Making Out’ is a romantic comedy for people who like romantic comedies a little too much, or more so about those people,” Writer and Director Henrique Couto said. “It’s a romantic comedy on the outside, but on the inside it’s almost a pathology of the expectations that people put on relationships and romance.”
The story follows screen writer Charlie and actor Erin who make a pact to write and perform their dates.
“They make the perfect scenarios that never happen in real life,” Couto said. “You get the dinner, the restaurants with the musician who comes and plays exactly the song you want. You get the kissing at the fountain, ghost stories at a campfire, but they all turn out the way they would in real life.”
Erin R. Ryan, the actor who plays Erin in the film, said that “Making Out” is a romantic comedy, but does deviate from people’s expectations as to what a romantic comedy is.
“People will be excited to connect with that unlike most romantic comedies,” Ryan said. “It’s like a romantic comedy that is way funnier than you expect it to be. It’s more awkwardly funny than a lot of major romantic comedies are. It’s touching, but it’s also hilarious. I think people will be rolling. It’s not just a little funny, it’s really funny. Jaw-droopingly hilarious.”
Couto’s twelfth film was fully funded on Kickstarter within 24 hours into its crowd-funding campaign, even though romantic comedies generally fall outside of the norm for independent film.
“I feel like the film is way more than just a romantic comedy,” Ryan said. “First of all, it’s unusual to have a romantic comedy in independent film. Usually the market is mainly horror, so I feel like it’s something that people need to see, that it can be done at this level and it can be done really well. It showcases a lot of local talent and that’s something that I believe needs to be supported that people need to know about.”
Couto has also expressed interest in working with any WSU theater majors looking to work in film.
“I produce 3-4 films per year, they get national exposure, and they’re a good way to gain experience,” Couto said. “The best way to get involved is to come to the premier, I’m very easy to approach, shake my hand, introduce yourself and we’ll go from there.”
Students interested in purchasing Couto’s films or finding out more information should visit his website, incrediblyhandsome.com.
