Home Entertainment: ‘Weekenders’ digital review

Back in the mid-nineties there was a wave of intelligent films that were a hybrid of romance, drama, and comedy. Films like Reality Bites and Before Sunrise captured the hearts and imaginations of a generation of viewers who had grown tired of the super saccharine romantic offerings that were all around them. In the interweaving years, many have tried to emulate the same spark, but few have succeeded, filmmaker Erik Bloomquist being the newest addition to that list. His new film, Weekenders, effortlessly taps into that old magic and thrusts those nineties movies into the new millenia for those that missed this type of film the first time around. 

Harper (Peyton Michelle Edwards) is all set for a romantic weekend away in a secluded vacation home, but then two things happen. Her on-off boyfriend cancels on her, and then after a mix-up in communication, the son of the property’s owner, James (Erik Bloomquist), also arrives at the house. The pair decide to try and make the best out of a strange situation and agree to cohabit for the weekend. Just as they begin to connect, their peace is interrupted by the arrival of Harper’s boyfriend Blake (Ehad Berisha) and James’ Tinder date, Alison (Maggie McMeans). As the quartet awkwardly try to coexist, feelings are stirred up and surprising revelations are reached.    

Those familiar with Bloomquist’s previous movie, Ten Minutes to Midnight, may be a little startled as the two movies have absolutely nothing in common. His previous film is a bloody horror comedy starring Caroline Williams as a radio host who spirals into vampirism during her last late night transmission. It’s all guts and messy carnage. Weekenders couldn’t be more removed from all that bloodshed, to the point where it’s a little hard to figure out how the same mind made both. This of course is a testament to the creativity and talent of a filmmaker, and Bloomquist’s ability to move between projects with chameleon-like prowess hopefully means a long successful career is ahead. 

With the story beats kept to a minimum, Weekenders relies on the dialogue to keep it moving and the script here is beautifully charming and super sharp. The story was devised by the trio of both Bloomquist and leading lady Edwards, with Carson Bloomquist rounding out the group. With Edwards onboard at such an early stage, she clearly had the chance to mould her character as she wanted and the resulting Harper is a woman who is relatable and real. The same is also true of Bloomquist, for his role of James, and the whole film has a really natural tone. So many scenes of dialogue flow so seamlessly that Weekenders starts to feel as if it was all improvised on the spot. It also helps that the chemistry between, not just Edwards and Bloomquist, but also Berisha and McMeans, sizzles. 

Bloomquist builds on the interplay of characters, keeping the viewer guessing who might end up with whom, cleverly sneaking red herrings and misdirections along the way. The characters, relationships, and whole narrative, appear to have been constructed around a fateful drinking game. Once we enter the drinking arena, Weekenders fully exhibits all the trappings and appeal of a really good stage play. This sequence is the shining beacon of Weekenders offering tension, half truths, intrigue, and so much more. It presents all of our characters the opportunity to air grievances, admit secrets, and sets up the finale in a subtle, but still spectacular manner. 

Weekenders is a film for those that like their “romance” movies with a healthy side of cynicism and sarcasm. Bloomquist embraces the essence of some of Linklater’s best work whilst still offering enough points of difference to enable his film to be taken seriously in its own right. 

Weekenders arrives on Digital HD from 18th May 2021.