You know, it isn't easy to make a good movie. To begin with, I believe you need a good script. That is to say, in my mind at least, the story has to be complete. You can have great acting, great direction, great film making and yet, because of the script itself, it's literary values, the film isn't complete. The story isn't complete. That is the case with this movie. (Spoiler Alert) Two of three main characters are released, so to speak, from their torment. The third character, the one played by Messina: we don't really know what happens to him. He goes back into the oblivion. These are my film aesthetics: the viewers need to have the complete story. It's fine if a character doesn't come to terms with his life, but we want to know how. Messina's character has screwed up his life. He's run away from a tough situation with a woman he loved and he has refused to understand his parents. His girl has found another guy. His life has been emptied out. But the movie leaves him pretty much where it found him, except now he most likely knows he has screwed up. It's not enough. I obviously hate it when filmmakers leave things hanging. I really believe there's a laziness to it. If they can't complete the story they shouldn't make the film.

FAIRHAVEN is a quiet film that packs an emotional punch. Tom O'Brien does an amazing job writing and directing beautifully authentic scenes between people we all can relate to. Chris Messina can always be depended upon to deliver a scene-stealing performance (I loved him in Julie and Julia and Vicky Cristina Barcelona), however in this case his co-actors Sarah Paulson, Rich Sommer, Maryann Plunkett, and Phyllis Kay, are all so talented, they give him a run for his money. Lovely, wide shots of the melancholy Connecticut seacoast abound and the setting almost becomes a secondary character. This is a sleeper gem that's well worth watching. We have not seen the last of the talented (and handsome) O'Brien.

As a resident of the town this movie is named for I wasn't sure what to expect, other than recognizing the local scenery. What I got was a beautifully told tale of what it means to be a man in the Peter Pan world we live in. I could not take my eyes off the screen or the actors' amazingly understated performances. It is a quiet film, and if you don't look carefully or with the right kind of eyes you may think nothing much is happening. However, if you are a man on the wrong side of 30 and there is nothing left of childhood but memories then you will be hit with every possible emotion watching these three guys over the course of a few days.If you have ever struggled with your dreams of youth maybe never being fulfilled, or with what it means to be a father, or if you have ever hurt the one you love the most because you knew they were better off without the mess you are...I could go on and on. I related with all three of the main characters so much. Also, for a movie about men made by men it must be stated that the women in this movie are all lovely and multi dimensional. I think it is easy to forget about women, or make them window dressing in such a film, but all of the best scenes in the film involve the strong male facade gently cracking under the gaze of the fairer sex.I will just say that the film is honest and true and that is all you can ever hope for in any work of art. Maybe it was simply a case of me being in a certain place, looking with certain eyes that made me connect so strongly but this film stayed with me a long, long time afterwords. Buy this film. Rent this film on iTunes. Support this type of work because I want to see more films like this. A quiet film with purpose. We deserve it.

How can I see this movie again? I saw Fairhaven at the Tribeca Film Festival and loved it. I was moved by its beautiful cinematography and flawed characters-- you end up relating to almost every character in the film. We need more character driven films! Fairhaven is story about friendship but addresses so many other issues at the same time. I loved it's documentary style filming --kind of reminded me of Friday Night Lights. It wasn't like watching people act, it was like watching people live. Rich Somer was fantastic-- his character was so sweet and vulnerable. Chris Messina was perfect as the asshole with a good heart...and Tom O'brien's character made the film--soul searching while he actually has everything right in front of him all along. Seriously folks, how can I see this movie again?