In Megan Stalter’s new comedy-drama, you may find yourself shouting at the screen on more than one occasion, “Don’t do it, Cora!” The name Cora Bora is derived from Stalter’s outrageous lead character; and in a different way altogether as they say; she is “on another level”.
Recently Stalter featured alongside Daisy Ridley in Sometimes I Think About Dying. And of course there is Hacks which is so terrific. However amongst all those films, Cora Bora stands out as the best for Stalter and once you hear her singing voice or see her act with such versatile emotions then you will quickly understand why this is true. There are expected laughs too before long.
One of the chief things that have kept movies such as Garden State talking about to date is its sound track. In recent times Cora Bora starts off with a bang – namely a female driven punk rock song that could be likened to Olivia Rodrigo’s good 4 u (in a good way). This film comes with original music that has been scored by indie musician Miya Folick who clearly has potential in the industry. This opening number exists both within and without diegetic space over the opening credits as we observe Cora singing along – Or isn’t she leading? Maybe she does or maybe she doesn’t sing solo with what seems like an entire band, even though it is just an illusion. It’s flashy, sexy, punky stuff….and suddenly there’s lonely Cora belting out that very same song on stage by herself. Wait…where did everybody else go? What happened?
No spoilers here but let me tell you this much: this isn’t about jetting off to Bora-Bora where most rich friends do their honeymoons right? But shame on them! They’ve got your back if they hang around there together with other rich people only! Instead though, Cora secretly flies from Los Angeles all the way…to Portland, Oregon – well as she puts it when talking to long-distance girlfriend Justine (Jojo T. Gibbs), “across the country”. Her solo career in Los Angeles isn’t going anywhere and long distance FaceTimes with Justine in Portland just aren’t cutting it (you can tell), so she takes initiative and decides to surprise her partner. The surprises that aren’t always good…
First we get an intimate look at what motivates Cora to shake things up. Then we see her making out with a young boy (Thoman Mann) at a house party in LA, who acts both ways. Yes, while they’re geographically separated Cora states that she has an open relationship with Justine but think about it. Thomas Mann has shown his comedic side in films like Project X but here he shines in his small role as he is thrown off by poor Cora crying about her ex-girlfriend from the previous night’s sexual escapade together. She is over it and makes it to the two hour flight leading to Oregon.
Even the flight to Portland is a hilarious one, which in itself, shows how director Hannah Pearl Utt and writer Rhianon Jones have been able to use each available movement or speech for every joke that’s physical enough to make you feel like cringing and laughing at the same time while some could relate it with cora’s cliches. Watch as she attempts to steal a first-class seat on an airplane, with the fiery Caitlin Reilly (hilarious) as a bearing for her bluffs until Cora must check her outsized carry-on baggage.
Well, not everything about what happened in Cora Bora was only caused by bad luck and/or timing; because of that charming young man named Tom (Manny Jacinto) whose seat she tried to steal and who offered even to claim her bag so she wouldn’t have to put it below when they took off. The two then struck up a friendship that had been growing into something much deeper. They might also meet again after their flights….
And now, Cora is back in her old stomping ground which is Portland – all its hipster glory including an overly excited old classmate (Heather Morris) who pops up out of nowhere in the store just to welcome Cora. Unfortunately, self-righteousness doesn’t remember this woman at all. Instead of this girl being dead-set on seeing Justine, though, who has secretly been cozying up with someone new named Riley (Ayden Mayeri).
Possibly one of the film’s funnier scenes comes when Cora goes over to Justine’s place sees Riley and tries to pretend it’s him visiting rather than herself being the hostess. Ayden helps out 24/7 since Justine is away getting food but this results in Cora taking such acts as dangerous incursions into her space by Ayden; whereupon she duplicates them right back at Ayden. They both talk and say things like “Here is where the cups are,” etc. It’s a funny sight.
Portland is Cora’s original homebase, where her parents still live, blah blah. However, she left and now feels out of place when back in town. Yet the self-involved musician with no sense of reality just won’t admit it. When you up and leave for another life elsewhere, your past life doesn’t just sit on hold. As Cora navigates through a more modern Portland and at one point even loses Justine’s dog while walking through the park as if in a daze; she can’t get anything right according to that old saying. This hiccup does provide a lovely little cameo by Brooklyn Nine-Nine standout Chelsea Peretti, playing a ridiculous owner of another dog at the park who feels threatened when Cora tries to claim that Chelsea’s dog is her own. Classic mix-up.
However, as soon as we stop laughing out loud and Cora doesn’t find herself prepared for other awkward situations such as an impromptu threesome in the third act- which she didn’t request (you’ll see) –she realizes that confronting her tough past can be a source of growth and facing the music. Tragedy struck, hence she is no longer part of that rock band shown at the beginning, maybe Justine isn’t the right one for Cora either. Stalter displays various emotions in this film with Cora eventually opening up to her fellows about prior traumas and why sharing is not that simple. While these screwball comedy dramas are nothing new, it’s a funny character study worth seeing anyway. Before you now is Brainstorm Media’s release of Cora Bora in movie theaters since its premiere at SXSW last year.
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