Movie Blog: 'Stuck Between Stations' Is Mpls Moonstruck

Summer, romance, Minneapolis: These are but some of the ingredients in a charming, Minnesota-made movie now playing at St. Anthony Main.

It's called Stuck Between Stations, and it follows the one-night adventure of two 20-something Minneapolis natives as they face their personal disasters (the death of a parent, a botched affair) and each other in a duel of words and longing.

But before I tell you the movie's plot or why it's so charming, you should know that it's only playing at St. Anthony Main til Dec. 22. In other words: plan to see it soon, especially if you're looking for a little holiday date.

The adventure (and the night) begins at First Avenue, where Casper (Sam Rosen) happens upon Rebecca (Zoe Lister-Jones), the girl he crushed on in high school. In an attempt to man-up, Casper gets into a fight with some bros whom he sees picking on his dream girl. Unfortunately, the bros turn out to be Rebecca's friends, and Casper humiliates himself, gets kicked out of the bar and ends up spitting up a mixture of blood and Summit on the sidewalk.

But once Casper and Rebecca get to talking, they don't stop. From First Ave. the pair walks to south Minneapolis and alights at a house party, a circus, a TV station and the Wedge, among other places. While watching the two flirt, reminisce and fight through the city, you can't help but compare the movie's Minneapolis with that of your own. That game, which is one you rarely get to play, is almost the worth the price of admission considering how often the movie changes locales.

At this point, you might be thinking that Stuck Between Stations is just Before Sunrise set Minneapolis instead of Vienna. That's not a bad way to describe the movie (I loved Linklater's walkers), but I think Stuck Between Stations takes a slightly different shape due to the baggage its characters bring.

That baggage is pretty heavy and casts a shadow over the narrative that somehow works to keep it grounded in good taste. Casper, a soldier in Afghanistan, is only in Minneapolis to attend his father's funeral before shipping off to Georgia in the morning. Rebecca, a grad student, learns earlier that evening the affair she'd been having with her adviser has come to the attention of her department's head, who happens to be her adviser's wife. Both Rebecca and Casper are a bit of a mess, but it only makes them perfect for each other.

I'm happy to report that the adventure never turns into something erotic and desperate. Instead, the movie's romance just happens. Hydrogen is made into helium. A photon of light shoots forth. No bra straps. No hushed affections. Just people with problems talking, joking, walking, laughing, drinking, sharing.

By the end of the night, each has helped the other. And there are few, if any, regrets.

Likewise, I don't think anyone in the mood for something intimate would regret seeing Stuck Between Stations.

It's directed by Brady Kiernan, who's made videos for local rap talent P.O.S., and it's playing at St. Anthony Main.