Directed by Stephen Ward and written by Rich Grosso, P.J. Marino, and Jessica Abrams, Don’t Say It is a romantic drama-comedy wherein the leads are a bit older than one might expect. Pat (Grosso) is a proud Italian-American who is brilliant in the kitchen. He’s in therapy and is still reeling over his divorce, though it was a while ago. He tends to gamble and go out every Saturday to a local karaoke hotspot. Lara (Victoria Kelleher) went to college but left when her parents got sick. She now works as a server at a diner just a few blocks away from her apartment. Lara is scared to put herself out there as her ex-husband left her for a younger woman who can bear children.
After arguing with her television via a news anchor (Stuart Fratkin), she goes out on Saturday to the karaoke bar. Lara overhears the punchline of a joke Pat tells. So when he comes in and rescues her from a drunk guy hitting on her, she asks to hear the rest of it. Pat promises her a new joke later on, and from there, the two begin to see each other. As they are both broken individuals, they take things slow to start. If one would ask, they’d say they aren’t dating, though it is clear to everyone around Lara and Pat that they are into each other. Can these two heal each other and find the love they desire and deserve?
By the end, Don’t Say It is so emotional that tears begin to well up. That is in large part because the writers take great care in establishing the characters. Lara’s constant yelling at the TV anchor, whose news is always about what she isn’t doing, is funny and establishes her mindset nicely. The way Pat treats everyone around him with a degree of respect makes it easy to understand what anyone would see in him. His vision of his ex nagging him adds context to his woes. Together, Lara and Pat work, as highlighted in a bicycle outing. However, audiences also get why both of them feel they cannot offer the other what they need.
“As they are both broken individuals, they take things slow to start.”
That isn’t to imply the comedy within Don’t Say It is ineffectual. It is quite good most of the time. The funniest bits are Lara’s imagination getting away from her as she fights with the anchor only she can see and hear. But the way Pat’s ex digs into him at the worst possible times provides some good laughs as well. The best joke is a quick one: for their first date (sort of), Pat takes Lara to an Italian joint. He does this to show off his pronunciation of the items on the menu. This indicates precisely the kind of person he is and Lara’s reaction says a lot about her as well.
To that end, Grosso and Kelleher are great. Individually, they bring their characters to life. In a critical moment, the way Kelleher explodes all of her emotions is heartwrenching. Grosso’s speech about the way he looks is sincere. Fratkin’s comedic timing and exaggerated mannerisms are amusing. Joe Pacheco plays Pat’s brother and goes from gruff to sweet in the blink of an eye. Viva Vinson is the central act of the karaoke bar and is very elegant.
Don’t Say It is an effective and sincere look at romance past a certain age. Grosso and Kelleher are perfectly cast and surrounded by an excellent supporting cast. The directing leans into drama and comedy equally, while the screenplay is populated by realistic characters with understandable foibles and clear strengths.
For more information, visit the official Don’t Say It site.
"…effective and sincere..."
