Such a frustrating disappointment

Simply Perfect

A different way of telling a story

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The acting was superb. The characters work together perfectly. It felt real at all times. I loved the dry humor. I felt so deeply for the characters.

So it sucks when you're lonely and insecure. It's not always going to be perfect when you're torn between being content with your singlehood or going downstairs and confront him. She needs to change things on her end and truly recognize, consciously and subconsciously, why she's still single. Her relationship is over, and it's hard that he's living underneath her. But all that's doing is preventing her from giving someone new a fair shot. Accept the fact that there's a reason things ended - she let him get away, and did't even bother dating anyone else. Nothing's ever going to happen for her if all she does is think about the ex. Keeping the ex around as a friend isn't normal. So many I know get into a serious relationship, and realize being close friends with your ex is just weird. Diana makes her fear of commitment ruin her chance at falling in love. Bad gut feelings lead to fear. They're not the same. Gut feelings are meant to be followed, and fear is meant to be conquered. While Ben moves on with a new girlfriend, Diana can't enter a real adult relationship because of confusing fear for a feeling that things won't work out. She'll never know the answer unless she takes the plunge. Eventually she realizes nothing has really worked out for her in getting over Ben, but instead of believing nothing will work out in the future she puts up a guard and sees only possible red flags. And I'm glad the film didn't end up as many Lifetime movies and they fall into each other's arms. She grows some common sense, tosses away all those fears and opens up to a potentially great relationship with Ben and opens up to a potentially great relationship.

First things first. Any chick that rocks white overalls, Keds high tops and drinks Coors from brown stubbies has me dead to rights, man. Zosia Mamet (HBO's "Girls") does all of this and much more in the new romantic dramedy "The Boy Downstairs". She also acts her ass right straight off.Mamet is Diana, a young aspiring writer whose not at all confident in her craft or her relationship. Enter Ben, a burgeoning musician played by Matthew Shear (TNT's "The Alienist"). Ben loves Diana, Diana loves Ben. Complications ensue, as in boy meets girl flicks they always do. Not a lot of new ground tread upon in this regard. However, it is in the mostly quiet yet compelling chemistry concocted between Mamet and Shear that we find a fresh, frank and funny take on a tale as old as the one of that original conflicted couple, Adam and Eve.While mostly a yarn of the young 'uns, a special shout out simply must go to the nearly effortless and totally natural work of the entire ensemble of "the old guard" in "The Boy Downstairs". Veteran actress Deirdre O'Connell ("Hulu's "The Path") in particular radiates as a widower who serves both as landlord and confidante to damsel in distress Diana. You may wanna be hip to the fact that at times some of the dialogue and dynamics come off as a bit contrived here. And Writer/Director Sophie Brooks's stylistic choice to shift scenes back and forth in time can be flat-out befuddling.These points notwithstanding, you'll likely find yourself content to overlook such potential distraction as you focus on the fine performances of Mamet and Shear in "The Boy Downstairs". For this talented pair take us along on a most eclectic and entertaining journey through that timeless and tricky minefield we have come to know as-and still for lack of anything better to call it-love.