#weak layers

[filmjoyreviews]

REVIEW: Weak Layers

Katie Burrell co-writes, directs, and stars in Weak Layers--a ski comedy follows three roommates--Cleo (Katie Burrell), Lucy (Jadyn Wong), and Tina (Chelsea Conwright)--after they're evicted and in desperate need of some cash to secure a new home. With the overwhelming stress and cramped living space in Cleo's ex's van, the three women decide to enter a ski movie competition.

Weak Layers tells a classic underdog story exploring the often ignored ski town locals and their beloved community in sharp contrast to the professional skiers and rich vacationers. Living in a place most of the world sees as a vacation destination can be challenging, yet rewarding. Weak Layers works the best when it captures the charm and unique lives of the 'nobodies' who call this ski town their home.

Deciding to make an homage to classic ski comedies focusing on women--and highlighting the sexism found within the world of skiing--is brave. And Katie Burrell does a nice job trying to bring back the genre with a new point-of-view.

As a comedy, Weak Layers falls a bit short. There aren't many laugh-out-loud moments, but the film makes up for it with complex emotional stories. Instead of a rehash of a raucous ski comedy, Weak Layers feels like the ski comedy world told through a 2000s indie dramady lens. And this makes for an engaging experience that focuses in on the complexities of growing up and trying to figure out your shit before it's too late.

The comedy in Weak Layers is at its best when it hinges on the awkward moments and the insecurity of Cleo, Lucy, and Tina. These moments are not often enough for this comedy to completely succeed, but what's there is enjoyable.

Too often the comedy falls more in the camp of "it's funny because characters are partying" rather than funny stuff happening in relation to those actions. But there are a few stand-out scenes that made me wish Weak Layers veered more into these moments of awkward relatable humor.

Weak Layers is especially great when it depicts the local Lake Tahoe community--and the affection everyone involves has for skiing is contagious. Even as someone who doesn't know much about skiing, I was drawn in by how much these characters care about their community, especially during the film's final scenes.

Katie Burrell does a wonderful job capturing the sport she loves so much. The footage of skiers--both those involved in the central competition and those just having fun--looks amazing and really drives home how important skiing is to the characters (and filmmakers).

As I watched Weak Layers, I waited for these moments, especially after we got to know the characters more and wanted to see them in their element, skiing down the slopes.

Katie Burrell, Jadyn Wong, and Chelsea Conwright are engaging as the central trio of roommates--especially in scenes highlighting their differences. Jadyn Wong has a strong comedic timing that works perfectly during Lucy's most awkward moments.

The friendship between Cleo, Lucy, and Tina is the driving force behind Weak Layers, especially when Cleo questions why she has younger roommates--and why she's still living this ski afterparty life.

But when the film decides instead to focus on a budding romance between Cleo and professional skier Gabe (Evan Jonigkeit), it loses momentum.

And too much of the film finds itself in this romcom realm. That isn't inherently a bad thing, but Weak Layers works better as a buddy comedy and this romance plotline takes away from more ground they could have covered following Cleo's challenging dynamic with Lucy and Tina.

***

Weak Layers isn't laugh-out-loud funny, but it has heart and works wonderfully as a love letter to the locals who live in every ski town when the vacationers and professional skiers go back to the city.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

ghost horses

GHORSES

[crownedinmarigolds]

While I don't believe in "inherent sisterhood" per se, I do think Mouthwashing wouldn't have gone down as it did (if a situation would've gone down at all) if just one other woman had been on board with Anya.

[batcavescolony]

Shut up she's doing her best and sometimes your best hurts.

[athina-blaine]

kabru's relationship with his eyes makes for suuuuuch a fantastic trans allegory (an aspect of your body alienating you from your community, being compelled to understand the perspective of someone who also has a complicated relationship with their body in the hopes that you'll better understand your own, people straight up misunderstanding biology) it makes me kind of insane because now I feel like I can't dig into any complicated feelings he might have about his body in relation to his gender without feeling like im just ... double dipping?? like fifjpejgh ryoko kui straight up already told that story in a way that exquisitely fucks??

[normalbrothers]

TOMMY: The war is done! Shut the door on it like I did.

[littlefankingdom]

Anytime Jason gets a tiny bit hurt, Bruce immediately starts babying him, as if Jason will die on the spot if he loses a drop of blood. It's really annoying for Jason because, yes he really wanted to see his dad care about him, but he is a scary crimelord with a body counts! However, for the third party seeing it happens, it's incredible. Batman, most stoic and strict hero, starts talking in a very soft voice like he does with children to his tank of a son, nearly as big as him and carrying half of his own weight in weapons, because he scratches his knee.

[spliqi]

higuchi thoughts of the day: as much as i love the idea of her having some devastatingly destructive ability… her having a healing/support ability would explain so much of her character. like. her high ranking in the mafia despite (as far as we know) not being extraordinarily strong. her assignment to akutagawa + his resentment of her + her being so overprotective of him. the irl author’s connection to mori and yosano. dw about it

[shalomniscient]

natlan 5.1 was batshit insane but i won't deny cookery when i see it. last 1/3 of the archon quest is just brilliantly done in my opinion, from writing to level design to soundtrack. just genuine excellence

[nutterbuttermother]

Yuuji: did you hear that loud scream?

Megumi: yeah, it was YN’s problem

Gojo, in the distance: I HATE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME THAT

[black-and-yellow]

[mymarifae]

hate seeing art of aventurine with abs. we all know how i feel about abs as it is but like i don't think the guy who would have been malnourished for half of his life and has been passively trying to kill himself for the other is going to be a twink-shaped bodybuilder .

he's always been unhealthily thin but he never paid it any mind because hey that's just one more thing that might kill him! but after penacony, after he realizes that he's not actually as ready to die as he thought he was, learning to eat regularly and gaining weight is part of his healing process. and maybe that freaks him out at first, as would every other part of recovery, so it's slow going (as is every other part of recovery. because this is aventurine we're talking about LOL). but with time, he starts to look - and feel - brighter and more alive. are you listening to me. like

GIVE THAT MAN LOVE HANDLES AND STRETCHMARKS IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD

[minophus]

Envisions gabriel without the light

[meteor752]

Can’t believe Martyn won a life series while representing Ren, with the Dogwarts Flag

The hand slayed the beasts, all for his king

[p0stscrpt]

alluka request o7