First Date

Shy teenager Mike (Tyson Brown) finally works up the courage to ask his confident neighbor Kelsey (Shelby Duclos) out on a date. But there’s a problem: he doesn’t have a car to take her out in. In his nervousness, he lets himself be talked into buying a beat-up 1965 Chrysler for next to nothing. What was supposed to be a romantic evening quickly spirals out of control. The car turns out to be part of a criminal scheme, and suddenly Mike and his date are being chased by all sorts of people—including criminals, cops, and an eccentric cat lover. This independent film is brimming with wit and energy and stands out above all for its original blend of different genres: it combines a classic coming-of-age story with elements of crime, thriller, and black comedy, creating a highly entertaining narrative rhythm with all sorts of absurd twists. Particularly well-developed and relatable is the character of the shy protagonist Mike, whose insecurity and desire to get everything right on his first date form the emotional core of the film. The dynamic between him and Kelsey also provides some charmingly authentic moments in the directorial debut of Manuel Crosby and Darren Knapp, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.