The Incredible Jessica James

Jessica James, who teaches theatre to children in New York, wants to be a playwright and pins every rejection letter to her wall. She has just broken up with someone. On a date arranged by a friend she meets Boone, freshly divorced himself. Neither is out of their last relationship and both are trying to build something. The film is not interested in romantic comedy. It is interested in ambition: Jessica thinks about her writing more than the relationship, and the film does not punish her for it. A woman putting her own work at the centre is the opposite of what the genre is used to. The form is small: New York apartments, bars, a rehearsal room and long conversations. The camera runs on Jessica's energy, and so does the pace. Jim Strouse wrote and directed. The film closed the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 and was released on Netflix. Jessica Williams leads; she was known for her work on The Daily Show and this was her first major film role. Chris O'Dowd plays Boone. Who it is for: viewers who like talk-driven independent comedy and Jessica Williams. Who it is not for: anyone waiting for events. The film is very small in scale, the conflict is light and most supporting characters appear in a single scene.