"Touchy Feely" Movie Review

Only You Have the Power to Change

Have you ever watched a movie that seemed to have so much potential, but ended up feeling incomplete? Touchy Feely, directed by Lynn Shelton, is one such film. While it stars talented actors like Rosemarie Dewitt, Elliot Page, Josh Pias, and Scoot McNairy, the film falls short in its execution.

Touchy Feely is a 2013 film that tells the story of Abby, a massage therapist who suddenly develops an aversion to touch. She is unable to take on clients and tries to figure out the root cause of her problem. Meanwhile, her brother, Paul, a dentist, discovers he has a healing touch for his patients. Despite the premise being interesting, the film fails to fully flesh out the characters and their stories.

Each character in the film has their own storyline, but the main focus is not properly executed. Abby's story, which should have been the main focus of the film, is not constructed well enough to really understand her predicament. Her conflict deserves a different outcome that would better portray her struggles.

The film also spends too much time on Paul's storyline, which seems to be disconnected from the rest of the film. Paul is an awkward and slow character, but his newfound dentistry technique is not explained. Was it magic or just because he gained confidence? This storyline was not well-connected to the rest of the film and felt like it didn't belong.

Jenny (Elliot Page) is another character who deserved more focus. Jenny's story is only hinted at and we only get fragments of it. Her potential romance with Henry, a friend and possible love interest, could have been more interesting to watch than Abby's struggle with her aversion to touch. However, Jenny's story is not fully explored and is only briefly touched upon.

Jesse, Abby's partner, is another character who is overlooked. Hardly any time is spent with Jesse, yet he is the one who is asking Abby about their relationship. Was Abby's aversion to touch meant to signify that she wasn't ready for the next step in her relationship? This is a question that could have been explored more, but it is not given enough attention.

The film is slow and at times feels like it is still in the writing process. Dinner conversation scenes take up a lot of the film's runtime and the characters talk about everyday things instead of the situations at hand. This could have been an opportunity for the film to explore the differences between careers in massage therapy and dentistry, but these scenarios are not given enough attention.

The relationships in the film could have been given more focus to make them work. In the end, everyone's problems are resolved without anyone talking, which seems to defeat the purpose of the film. Instead of talking to Jesse, a random character appears to help Abby understand her problem, which feels unsatisfying.

Despite the weak story, the film's editing is a highlight. The transitions do a good job of reflecting the moods and the scenes are quick, a trademark of Shelton's filmmaking. However, Touchy Feely is not Shelton's best work and may not be worth watching for everyone.

In conclusion, Touchy Feely is a film that had so much potential, but fell short in its execution. The characters and their stories could have been better developed and given more attention. The film also suffered from a slow pace and a lack of focus on the relationships between the characters. Only you have the power to change, and in this case, a better script and stronger direction could have made a significant difference.