A party starter's quest to find connection and purpose
In short: In this 2022 romantic comedy drama, a recent college graduate navigates the complexities of adulthood. While working as a professional party starter, he forms a deep connection with a mother and her daughter, balancing personal ambitions with the messy realities of love and life.
Directed by and starring Cooper Raiff, the film follows Andrew, a 22-year-old Tulane University graduate who returns home to his family. Seeking to fund a trip to Barcelona to reunite with his girlfriend, Maya, Andrew begins working as a professional party starter, a role he calls the 'Jig Conductor.' After graduating from Tulane, he moves back to his home in New Jersey. He adopts the moniker 'Jig Conductor' to market his unique services.
The narrative explores Andrew's burgeoning relationship with Domino, a 32-year-old mother with an autistic daughter named Lola. As Andrew becomes a sought-after presence at bar and bat mitzvahs, his life becomes entangled with Domino's complicated reality, including her engagement to a man named Joseph in Chicago and a recent miscarriage. Domino's fiancé, Joseph, eventually terminates Andrew's employment as a sitter for Lola. This professional setback occurs amidst the emotional tensions surrounding Domino's engagement.
The film received positive critical reception, with an 85% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 218 critics. While some critics like Manohla Dargis of The New York Times found the film derivative, others, such as Christy Lemire of Roger Ebert.com, praised Raiff's ambition to move beyond sentimental formulas. The film's distribution rights were acquired by Apple TV+ for $15 million, following a competitive bidding process involving Netflix, Sony Pictures, and Amazon Studios. The movie premiered during the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. It also made appearances at the SXSW and Tribeca film festivals.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Cha Cha Real Smooth
- Also: Wikidata — Cha Cha Real Smooth · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Cha Cha Real Smooth · CC0
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