Dandelion, 2024.
Written and Directed by Nicole Riegel.
Starring KiKi Layne, Thomas Doherty, Melanie Nicholls-King, Brady Stablein, Jack Stablein, and Grace Kaiser.
SYNOPSIS:
It follows a singer-songwriter in a downward spiral as she takes a last effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota where she meets Casey, a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago.
Writer/director Nicole Riegel’s Dandelion introduces several intriguing story and character dynamics before easing into the least interesting and most familiar version of itself. It stars KiKi Layne as singer-songwriter Theresa (Dandelion is her stage name), who might have missed out on her opportunity to make it in the music scene, especially since she had to drop out of a chance putting out an opening performance for a larger act to take care of her sick mother (Melanie Nicholls-King.) As a last-ditch effort to achieve some semblance of relevancy that follows a blowup with her mom regarding her current lack of success as an artist and future, Theresa caves into a co-worker’s suggestion to play in a South Dakota competition. She exclaims that she doesn’t want that demographic to be her following, but then again, the people sitting in the hotel lounge while she sings are more focused on their phones than listening to her voice.
One assumes that Dandelion will start a fascinating conversation on artistry and how, even though we can choose to be vocal about who we don’t want to support our work, we don’t necessarily get to choose our audience. Theoretically, it could also be a window into exploring how an increasingly alarming amount of average citizens take the arts for granted, choosing to stare into their phones like zombies. Perhaps a sharp juxtaposition will show this rowdy rural scene click with this Black woman’s songs and lyrics. Nevertheless, it is expectedly and believably filled with bullying and racist micro-aggressions, with her guitar case stolen during the middle of her set. It is retrieved and given back by the handsome Casey (Thomas Doherty.)
Casey then brings Dandelion into his small, diverse friend group, sitting around a campfire discussing their lives, lost dreams, and music. They are magnetically attracted to one another. Casey drops the clichéd bombshell that he is married, only for the two to continue with their budding romance. Smartly, Nicole Riegel makes up for this visually by consistently framing the two in faraway shots traversing jagged mountains and archaic structures and using beautiful natural lighting. Generally, they write songs together while alone exploring these sumptuous sights.
Aside from some conflicted, grounded, and moving performances from KiKi Layne and Thomas Doherty, Dandelion also has The National going for it. Yes, award-winning musicians Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner have greatly contributed to arranging a rocking, spirited, deeply affecting soundtrack of songs that seemingly generate more fire from KiKi Layne as the story progresses. There is a tremendously compelling moment where Dandelion, while throwing out some lyrics, brings Casey’s marital status into the fold, with lyrics asking if he will run away from this.
Everyone watching probably already knows the answer, that this romantic honeymoon will end sooner than later, but the journey there is certainly filled with striking visuals and catchy music that cuts to the core of what these characters are feeling. If nothing else, choosing to hone in on the songwriting process makes their familiar dynamic somewhat fresher, with the film’s emotion coming from the right places.
Still, Dandelion is mostly stuck pushing aside its intriguing concept of a Black woman guitarist crossing over from Cincinnati into a not-so-friendly South Dakota music scene, only to transition into a formulaic doomed romance that helps her find her voice. The final performance is undeniably rousing, and the story has a great deal of authentic character work going for it, but it is a bit of a slog with overreliance on magnificent scenery in the middle stretch. What’s here is effective enough, but the most promising ideas are pushed aside.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
Originally published July 10, 2024. Updated July 12, 2024.
