Review - Old Fashioned

Love Conquers All

In theaters 2/13/15.

By Paul Hall

We’ve all done things in our life that we aren’t proud of. Changes have to be made, and sometimes (Rik Swartzwelder). His past includes time in college producing a Girls Gone Wildesque video series with his friends.

those changes are drastic. So is the case for Clay Walsh

But and event happens and makes him do a full 180 degree turn. Women are no longer thought of strictly as objects, but instead they are treated with the utmost respect. This treatment quickly needs to townspeople and his new tenant Amber (Elizabeth Ann Roberts) thinking he is at the least, quirky.

The single Amber sees something underneath the quirky, maybe even “weird” exterior. The care he takes with everything he does from the furniture that comes into his antique shop, Old Fashioned, to the repairs that Amber starts to deliberately cause in her apartment is showing through in his current actions.

Breaking through the shell will be challenging to say the least, but beneath all of the quirks, a relationship between Amber and Clay just might be in the cards.

As romance films go, Old Fashioned feels at times like a bit of a strange film. The quirks that are portrayed in Clay’s character feel too odd for this film. Rik Swartzwelder who also directed and wrote the film, felt almost too out of place for me to really enjoy.

Clay and Amber enjoying a fire.

Despite that, Elizabeth Ann Roberts as Amber brought a perkiness with a past to the film. Simple shots of her board of memories offer insights into the struggles she has had to endure with the cool and popular guys. And through it all, she still feels she knows romance is out there.

Although some of the film felt clunky, Roberts’ glow and efforts rescues things and provides for a glimpse and a bright future.

The best part about the film is the sweetness in the characters. Many guys are out there; nice guys like Clay, that virtually never are portrayed onscreen. And there are many singles looking for Mr. Right. He’s out there, and you don’t have to settle for something you aren’t comfortable with. Love conquers all and sometimes your diamond is closer than you think.

GRADE: B-

Old Fashioned

PG-13

Stars: Rik Swartzwelder, Elizabeth Ann Roberts, Tyler Hollinger, Anne Marie Nestor

Director: Rik Swartzwelder