Have you ever watched a show, movie, or play and can't get over how good it is? Like, there's no way to expect it to turn out so great? That was my experience with "Booked," a film directed by Cassie Maurer, co-written by Maurer, Eli Owens, and Chesney Mitchell.
"Owen," played by Eli Owens and his best friend "Kenny," played by Chesney Mitchell, are passed over for the leads in their school musical. They set out to prove everyone wrong by auditioning for college musical theatre programs, notorious for their rigorous audition process and low acceptance rates. Together, they pursue a dream. It's a coming-of-age comedy but also a tremendous platonic love story.
This subject matter is not foreign to this trio; all three graduated in 2022 from the University of Cincinnati's famed College-Conservatory of Music Musical Theatre program. (Read any playbill on Broadway, and you'll see half a dozen CCM grads in the cast.) What's almost miraculous about this film is that they did it themselves.
They wrote it. They filmed it with the help of a supporting cast of actors that includes their classmates and faculty members (including Tracy Connor, whom you might recognize as the cashier from the grocery store scene in the holiday classic, "Home Alone.”) CCM E-Media student Jack Bolander (director of photography) and young, talented sound and editing folks also from CCM, worked on the technical side of things. And they all did so in their senior year of school while balancing class, capstones, and preparing for their futures.
Full disclosure: I know these students from following their careers at CCM as a theatre blogger and critic. And you'll see my name in the film's credits, thanks to a tiny donation towards their cause. I was thrilled to support their passion project. But I was also prepared to smile and congratulate them on their hard and steer clear of any actual theatrical criticism. I mean, it’s their first-ever film. Ever.
Then I saw a screening and kept thinking, "This is an actual movie. Like a real film." I was blown away. And now that they've secured the rights to the music they wanted to use for the soundtrack, it's even better.
The writing is razor-sharp. The characters are well-developed. The jokes are funny, and the scenes move briskly to get us to the emotional climax. The chemistry between Owens and Mitchell is palpable. Both are authentic, believable, and charismatic performers on stage. On film, that comes through even more clearly as we can see the nuance in their facial expressions on the big screen. This could be a launching pad for both of them into Hollywood - as actors but also as writers.
Maurer, who had never directed a film before, is a natural at keeping the story in focus, utilizing the ensemble as support but maintaining the clear spotlight on her two leading actors. I can't wait to see what she does next. Bolander gets some great shots, framing the action to evoke laughter and emotion. I seriously wept throughout the last third of the movie.
I know I'm gushing, but it's just that great. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Last weekend, the movie won "Best Narrative Feature Film" and "Best Score" at the Sky Arts Film Festival in Bowling Green, KY. They just took home "Best of Fest" at the Cindependent Film Festival in Cincinnati. They have several more festivals, too, and the kudos will continue.
Keep an eye out for "Booked," and keep an eye out for these talented young artists. You will know their names one day.
Check out more information about the “Booked” at this link.