Satellite of Love would probably be a great movie, if it didn’t have some of the worst dialogue I’ve ever had the misfortune of hearing. Directed by Will James Moore, it’s gorgeously shot, beautifully acted, and abysmally written, making for a profoundly disappointing experience.
The film follows “Samuel” (Nathan Phillips), who is apparently a composer (we know this because we see thirty seconds of him conducting an orchestra). He’s also something of a free spirit, preferring wine and aimless wandering to more practical pursuits. After missing the wedding of his two best friends due to an unrequited attachment to the bride, he invites the couple to a vineyard for a weeklong getaway. Boundaries are tested, hidden truths are revealed, and Samuel finds himself knowing even less than he did before.
It’s not the most original story in the world, but it at least presents the opportunity for some stimulating conversation between characters. Unfortunately, Moore and his writing partner, Jonathan Case, don’t really take that opportunity. Instead, they give their actors clunky and obtuse dialogue that’s more concerned with grand ideas than it is with simple human conversation, and the result feels preachy and false.
What makes it even worse is that the cast deserves so much better. Phillips is remarkable, displaying both brash bravado and fragile insecurity with ease and nuance. His Samuel is a wounded Peter Pan with a desire for deeper meaning, and his arc is wonderfully moving. As “Cat” and “Blake,” Shannon Lucio and Zachary Knighton both clearly establish their characters’ inner conflicts without overplaying them, preventing their scenes from devolving into melodrama.
It’s just such a pity that these talented actors are wasted on a shoddy script. If Moore and Case had focused more on honesty than on insight, they could have created something much less stilted and much more real. As it stands, however, what they’ve given us is all soul and no substance, and it feels incredibly pretentious.
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