Kindred Spirit tells a tale as old as time, but with a twist. Eloise (writer-director Caroline Lindy) is fed up and frustrated with being alone. So, she downloads the dating app Kindred Spirit and quickly matches with Jonathan (Jack Henry Robbins). After a few flirty messages back and forth, she invites him over to her place, and Jonathan accepts the invitation.
So far, it’s the modern version of boy meets girl and they hit it off. But, as with any story worth telling, there must be something keeping them apart. Or at least a reason they cannot immediately be together. Well, Lindy’s originality shines through in the force that keeps these two (potential) lovers: Jonathan died a month ago rescuing an old lady from a fire and is now a ghost.
Eloise is unable to see or hear Jonathan when he arrives at her place. Their only means of communication is the dating app. At first, this fact understandably freaks out Eloise. But, as she gets to know Jonathan better and they bond over their love of music, she starts really enjoying the date. You know, her date with a ghost. So, can Eloise accept Jonathan as a non-corporeal entity and be in a happy relationship with him?
“…able to convey emotions with just the framing and camera setups…”
Lindy’s 20-minute romantic drama is pretty good. As a director, she’s able to convey emotions with just the framing and camera setups effectively. Eloise tries calling a bunch of (presumably) exes or at least friends with benefits but is rejected each time. Instead of just showing her calling these individuals, it is set to a montage of her doing laundry, taking a break on her porch, and just generally her life at home. It establishes how isolated and lonely she’s feeling perfectly.
As a writer, she cleverly found a new spin on something that could have been trite and cliche. Having the app be the only way Jonathan can talk makes for some amusing moments. I have an issue with the very end, as it does totally gel with everything else that has come before. I get where Lindy was trying to lead her story, but it leaves Eloise in a rather unsatisfying place.
Happily, Lindy and Robbins are quite good together. Robbins is calm, gentle, and good looking enough that Eloise’s instant attraction works. When he accidentally flings a book on her table across the room, his apology is very funny, “I am still getting used to picking things up.” She brings a quiet sadness to Eloise. Watching it vanish throughout the night is pretty sweet.
Kindred Spirit is a cute little romantic drama. The script has strong characters, the directing is stylized, and the two leads are excellent. I just wish the ending was a bit more polished.
Kindred Spirit screened at the 2020 Annapolis Film Festival.
"…a tale as old as time, but with a twist."
