Movie Review: Raleigh, I Kinda Like You

Film, Reviews

Watch Raleigh, I Kinda Like You | Prime Video

When the world of digital filmmaking was proposed back in the ’90s; it seemed like a boon for independent filmmakers since no longer would they be overwhelmed with massive bills from Kodak for film, camera rental companies, film labs, post production facilities and all the other expensive nightmares. In the era of celluloid, thousands of wannabe filmmakers found out their dream of being the next Stanley Kubrick or Spike Lee led them into bankruptcy court. The bills kept coming and the return phone call from Miramax never came. Digital filmmaking made camera’s cheap, videotape inexpensive, an editing system you don’t have to rent by the hour and a way to distribute your film outside of the cinema system. This seemed to be a perfect way for regional filmmakers to rise up. Although it seemed like people used these new tools as auditions for Hollywood type films instead of exploring their neck of the woods. Raleigh, I Kinda Like You is a digital film that is about Raleigh, North Carolina. Do you know Raleigh? Right now it is most famous for being next to Cary, the home of the company that makes Fortnite. Raleigh also appears often on TLC’s Love It Or List It. Raleigh is full of people constantly wanting to hook up.

The film opens up with writer-director Tor Ramsey holding court at Amedeo’s Italian restaurant. This was where famed NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano would hang out after he led the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tourney win in 1983. Tor explains how messed up relationships are in Raleigh. Mostly because it’s the city is named after Sir Walter Raleigh who had his issues with ladies, royalty and the executioner’s ax. The first date he talks about involves the time a British guy meets up with a woman for a blind date. The Brit tries so hard to impress her with his way of the world. He can’t stop ordering her food and drink. He monopolizes the conversation. He drives her over the edge with his confusion. When you think she’s just going to walk away from the table, a strange truth is revealed.

Another segment has a surprise engagement go off the rails. The boyfriend gives his longtime girlfriend a ring that has been in the family since the Pilgrims crossed in the Mayflower. There is a slight issue since his mother has a few requests involving the ring. Later a meet the parents date goes incredibly wrong when mom does research on her potential son-in-law. This move backfires when everyone’s background ends up on the restaurant table. The following segment has a guy borrows a sweet car from a pal in order to impress his date. She’s impressed and eager for more fun than a concert. However he gets big news about his ride from his pal. At a different location, a platonic couple finds themselves posing as other people to hijack a blind date. As their conversation increase, they discover they’re not the only date hijackers at 42nd St. Oyster Bar. The big final story involves a guy thinking he’s going to drop by a woman’s house for a quickie in her backyard pool that might turn into a threesome. The scene gets rerun so we can hear what the characters are really thinking. Ira David Wood III pops up in a cameo in the piece. People in Raleigh know him from playing Scrooge every year in The Christmas Carol.

Raleigh, I Kinda Like You is a romantic comedy version of an Amicus portmanteau with touches of relationship horrors. The movie has a rawness in the production. The camera is active and the sound has that capture wild documentary feel. The movie feels more real and immediate than those polished reality shows like 90 Day Fiancé and Love After Lockdown. The local cast do fine at depicting the strange developments in all these dates and hook ups that get bouncy quickly. Fans of basketball will get to see Chucky Brown acting. The NC State great and longtime NBA player does a fine job as the go-between in one of the pieces. Having lived in this city for year, there’s an authenticity to the weirdness on the screen. Raleigh, I Kinda Like You is a joyful piece of regional filmmaking that will give you a sense of the dating madness you’ll run into at a restaurant in the City of Oaks.

Raleigh, I Kinda Like You is streaming on Amazon and is part of the subscription if you have Amazon Prime.

Raleigh, I Kinda Like You. Directed by Tor Ramsey. Screenplay by Tor Ramsey. Starring Reid Doyle, Bill Frost, Madeline Taylor, Debbi Burns, Doug Schuetz, Robin L. Watkins, Alyssa Judge, Lynne Smith, Ira David Wood III & Amber Dawn Fox. Rated: Unrated. Running Time: 114 minutes.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.