Wobble Palace

Wobble Palace is a 2018 American independent comedy film directed and co-written by Eugene Kotlyarenko, starring Dasha Nekrasova, Eugene Kotlyarenko, and Paige Elkington. The film is set against the backdrop of Los Angeles and the imminent 2016 US Presidential Election. It explores the digital era's impact on relationships, communication, love, and human interaction, giving the audience a candid look at modern romantic comedy in the context of technologically mediated relationships.

The film's title, Wobble Palace, refers to the nickname for the bright pink, flamboyantly decorated Los Angeles duplex where most of the storyline unfolds, symbolizing the unstable relationship of the lead couple. The narrative's focus is on the floundering relationship between a self-absorbed indie programmer named Eugene (played by Eugene Kotlyarenko himself) and a trendy artist named Jane (played by Dasha Nekrasova). Their relationship is on the rocks, and they decide that the best way to navigate their impending split is to divvy up their shared home for one last, wild weekend before finally parting ways.

The plot splits the weekend narrative into two days: Saturday with Eugene and Sunday with Jane. On Saturday, we see Eugene, a balding, mustachioed man-child who is always seen with a vivid track jacket and an unrelenting sense of self-importance. Despite projecting a confident and flamboyant exterior, Eugene is deeply insecure and hopelessly narcissistic, overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about his relationship and his life.

Jane, who takes over the narrative on Sunday, is a stylish, digital-era artist represented as a more grounded and sensible character, though she has her quirks and insecurities. Jane is frustrated with Eugene and sees the separation as an opportunity to explore her personal and professional freedom. She deals with the break-up differently, providing a more balanced and mature perspective on their turbulent relationship.

Paige Elkington also stars in a prominent role, along with a string of interesting and quirky secondary characters that enhance the tumultuous narrative. Each character in the movie demonstrates varying degrees of self-absorption, reflective of the 'selfie culture'. The film also cleverly uses iPhone text notifications, FaceTime calls, and even a dating app to create a feeling of non-stop, chaotic communication that reigns in modern society.

One of the strengths of Wobble Palace is the quirky humor that lies in its idiosyncratic dialogues and the characters' interactions. The film serves both as a romantic comedy and a critique of Millennial narcissism. It humorously displays the paradox of contemporary relationships that are supposed to be more interconnected through technology but often feel more distant, disoriented, and disconnected.

Wobble Palace also stands out for its visual style. The cinematography mirrors the film's eccentric characters and bohemian setting, often obscuring the characters or showing them from odd angles, experimentally reflecting the distorted views and perceptions within their chaotic relationship.

The film's structure is also unconventional. Its handheld camera approach and jump cuts, and the disruptive technology-based storytelling style, create a patchwork of moments, making the narrative feels like navigating through a social media timeline. The soundtrack, primarily electronic, underscores the digital era-induced anxiety that fuels the film.

Wobble Palace evokes a broad range of reactions from its audience, from amusement to confusion, irritation to empathy, and it does so by design, emulating the characters' confused emotions and vacillating attitudes. The strength of the film lies not only in its inventive and relateable storytelling but also in its commentary on the anxieties of the digital age and the difficulty of maintaining genuine human connections within it.

Showcasing a well-balanced mix of humor, drama, social critique, and poignant moments, Wobble Palace is an incisive exploration of millennial anxiety and modern love in the age of social media. It gives audiences a unique cinematic experience by unapologetically portraying a raw, brutal, and hilarious image of a modern relationship. This film can be an interesting watch for those who appreciate independent films or want an intriguing, unconventional narrative that reflects the modern era's romantic and social complexities.