Instead

Written and directed by Blake Berlin, Instead stars Berlin alongside Brittney Bertier in a story about lingering feelings, unfinished business, and the blurred lines between love and friendship. The film centers on a struggling writer whose quiet life is interrupted when his ex-girlfriend shows up unannounced, determined to mend their fractured bond before leaving town for good.

Blake Berlin plays Brandon, a struggling writer preparing to meet his ex-girlfriend Emma (Brittney Bertier), who appears at his apartment without notice. The film opens with a flashback to a romantic and playful moment from their past, where the pair is the only ones unmarried after a friend’s wedding. As they coyly play around with the idea of attending one another’s nuptials, Emma proposes the idea that they should get together.

In the present, Brandon is visibly uneasy with the surprise visit. Emma has come to pick up her things, share that she’s moving to Nashville for a new job, and thinks it would be a good idea to stay with Brandon rather than get a hotel room. They’ve been estranged since their breakup months earlier. Despite revealing she’s seeing someone new named Kevin, Emma insists she misses Brandon and wants closure before leaving.

As the evening progresses, their unresolved tension surfaces through small but loaded interactions, such as Emma finding Brandon’s old script drafts or him withholding a book she had left behind. They argue over a shirt she never liked him wearing and fall into old patterns of banter, miscommunication, and flirtation. Practical matters also creep in, such as an overdue rent call from the landlord and an empty fridge, which they both acknowledge, leading them to go Dutch on groceries as if they’re still a couple. Emma accidentally calls Brandon “babe,” further blurring the emotional boundaries between them. Eventually, Brandon stumbles upon the engagement ring he once bought for her, revealing that his feelings haven’t entirely faded.

A quiet yet emotionally charged moment in Instead, as Brandon and Emma share a bed but remain worlds apart.

“…lingering feelings, unfinished business, and the blurred lines between love and friendship.”

We say it all the time at Film Threat. If you want to make movies, then make them yourself. No one is coming with a giant checkbook or career-changing opportunity. Blake Berlin puts on a lot of filmmaker hats with Instead: writer, director, producer, and star. If you have a film in you, there are no excuses.

The best part of Instead is that Berlin put his heart all over his story of rekindled love. I’ve certainly been in that position of bumping into an ex-girlfriend and wondering if I had made a mistake or if things are different now. What makes stories like Instead so wonderful is that we’ve all been there, and it feels like the comfort of a cinematic group hug. Berlin taps into the feeling of that situation and, without ever mentioning it, leads us to a long tunnel that ends either happily ever after or with a heavy dose of reality.

It also works on the other end with Brittney Bertier as Emma, trying to do the right thing by preserving a meaningful friendship. Friendships like the one with Brandon are a rare gem to be treasured at all costs.

Yes, when you make your movie with very little money, it’s not going to be perfect. If you’re going to spend money, invest in sound.  Something Berlin wisely prioritizes in Instead. Director of photography and editor Nathan Johansson does wonders with this intimate two-hander. The only noticeable imperfection is lighting or the lack thereof…next time.

Instead is a heartfelt example of what can happen when an indie filmmaker puts everything on the line to tell a personal story. Blake Berlin captures the emotional complexity of seeing someone you once loved and asking, “What if?” It’s the quiet moments—the awkward silences, the inside jokes, the things left unsaid—that make this story resonate. In the end, Instead reminds us that closure is never simple, and some goodbyes still come with a little hope attached.