3 Nights in the Desert (2014)

Purely Joyful Movie!

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Everything is off with this movie. Its meant to be about old band members. None of the three actors / characters look like they would ever have played in a band. There is a cave with nothing in it. A dude that looks like a serial killer, a girl that cant sing and a dude that likes to whack off and go running (not specifically in that order).Oh, and a couple of analogies about going for the shiny marble, and trying to masturbate over a golden cube. Sound good?

We grow up. We change. And yet we often want our friends to stay the same. Or better yet, to make up for how they may have hurt us a long time ago. Sometimes we get that, sometimes we don't, and sometimes the fiercest, most passionate friendships come to blows. 3 Days in the Desert is a heartfelt story about those sorts of relationships, and how we try to make them better, but maybe learn something about who we are in the process. It's at times funny, but mostly appropriately sensitive and rueful about a lost friendship that could be rekindled. The writing is terrific, the cinematography is gorgeous and Wes Bentley and Amber Tamblyn shimmer in their roles. Believable but also magnetic. The other character, Barry, could have been softened in a lot of ways, but I find it really interesting that he wasn't. Can we be generous to the person whose dream changed along the way? Can we forgive the friend who broke our heart? This movie gives you a lot to think about. Watch it and then call an old friend. They want to hear from you too, I bet.

Sort of a strange story about three friends, who haven't seen each other in a long time, meeting at the home of the one who has chosen to be a recluse way out in the desert. As the story progress you learn they shared an interest in breaking into the music industry as a 'band' - but it never came to pass - and all three friends have gone in separate directions.Travis is the desert recluse, Anna and Barry have pursued professional lives and have joined the society as responsible members. Travis has a real problem with this. He rejected society for the solitude of the desert and his own thoughts. In my opinion Travis makes it clear that he was physically attracted to both Anna and Barry. Travis knows he cannot cross this barrier with either Barry or Anna. Barry and Anna had their own thing and Travis was always the third wheel.So to sum up this rather forgettable movie - Travis instigated this reunion to tell his two friends (and in a very abstract psychotic way) that he is going to kill himself. What are the clues? 1. Travis takes them to that mystery cave. 2. Travis disappears one night. 3. Travis sends Barry & Anna off to go home in his truck, without Travis. 4. As the story ends Travis is seen going into the cave - now his crypt! The end.This movie is only firing on 3 cylinders and never gets to the point.

I multi-task, so I was busy while watching this. I can understand why someone wouldn't like this - it is slow. It's one of those 'day-in-the-life-of' movies. Watching it as a side distraction though, the story unfolded. It was an interesting perspective of friends coming back together after they've made their way out into the world. There's the successful one, the one that got an acceptable job and life, and the drop out. Success isn't all it's made out to be, a drab career can be satisfying, and dropping out may be an honest approach. Or, maybe there is no clear path..Worth at least the 5.5 it has.