Summary
- Stalter's comedic talent consistently shines in
Cora Bora
. - The mix of laughs and genuine heartbreak makes for a captivating film.
- Stalter's performance in this character study is a shining example of indie film excellence.
"Don't do it, Cora!" you might find yourself yelling at the screen on more than one occasion during Megan Stalter's triumphant new comedy-drama. Cora Bora, whose title derives from the unique name of Stalter's outrageous lead character, is "on another level," as they say, in more ways than one.
Stalter was recently a standout alongside Daisy Ridley in Sometimes I Think About Dying. And then, there's the terrific series Hacks, of course. But Cora Bora takes the cake for Stalter, and you'll quickly learn why once we get a glimpse of her lovely singing voice, a wide range of emotions in her performance, and more. And rest assured, the expected laughs come quickly as well.
'Cross-Country' Journey... From Portland to LA
Cora Bora (2023)
3.5/5
- Release Date
- June 14, 2024
- Director
- Hannah Pearl Utt
- Cast
- Megan Stalter , Jojo T. Gibbs , Manny Jacinto , Ayden Mayeri , Thomas Mann
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Stalter is reliably hilarious throughout the film.
- Stalter's musical talents are also a bright spot.
- Though the film is a comedy, there are genuinely heartbreaking scenes as well.
- Showcasing Portland a bit more would have been fun.
- Too many familiar ex-girlfriend tropes throughout the movie.
Indie movies like Garden State are still talked about today because of one chief ingredient: the soundtrack. More recently, the impactful Cora Bora starts off with a bang, aka a female-heavy punk rock song that might remind folks of Olivia Rodrigo's "good 4 u" (in a good way). The film features original music and a score composed by indie artist Miya Folick, who clearly shows promise in the industry. The opening number is both diegetic and layered over the opening credits, as we see Cora singing along – or is she the lead singer? – with what seems like a solid ensemble. It's flashy, sexy, punky stuff – and then, the opening smash-cuts to lonely Cora now singing that very song, but solo on stage. Wait, where's the rest of the band? What happened?
No spoilers here, but this is Cora's story, and no, she doesn't jet set to the destination that is Bora Bora. Shame. That kind of location is instead reserved for your rich friends and their honeymoons, presumably. Cora, on the other hand, jet sets from Los Angeles all the way over...to Portland, Oregon – or, as she describes it to long-distance girlfriend Justine (Jojo T. Gibbs), "across the country." Cora's solo career isn't taking off in Los Angeles, and those forced FaceTimes with Portland-based Justine just aren't working (you can tell), so Cora takes action and decides to pay her girlfriend a surprise visit. Emphasis on "surprise" here, which doesn't always carry a positive connotation...
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First, we get an up-close and personal look at what's driving Cora to shake things up. She seems to swing both ways, as we see her get drunkenly frisky with a young lad (Thomas Mann) at a house party in LA. Yes, Cora claims she's in an open relationship with Justine while they're geographically apart, but it makes you think. Actor Thomas Mann has proven his comedic chops in past movies like Project X, and here he shines in the limited offering, throwing poor Cora for a loop as he proceeds to weep about his own past lover the morning after. Cora is over it and decides to high-tail it via the two-hour flight to Oregon.
Cora Bora Is a Laugh Riot With Megan Stalter
Even the flight to Portland is hilarious, highlighting how director Hannah Pearl Utt and screenwriter Rhianon Jones pounce on every opportunity for physical and verbal gags that will leave you cringing, eye-rolling, and perhaps relating to Cora's tropes. Watch as she tries to steal a first-class seat on the plane, with a fiery flight attendant (the hilarious Caitlin Reilly) calling out her B.S. and forcing Cora to check her oversized carry-on items.
Fortunately, not everything in Cora Bora is bad luck and/or timing, as the seat she tried to steal belongs to a charming, handsome young man named Tom (Manny Jacinto), who even offers to claim Cora's bag for the flight so that she doesn't have to stuff it down below. From there, a budding friendship ensues, with romance even becoming a possibility. They might even cross paths again post-flight...
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Cora is now in her old stomping ground that is Portland and all the glorious hipster-ness it has to offer, including an overly enthused old classmate (Heather Morris) who jumps up and hugs Cora after spotting her in the local grocery store. The self-righteous, one-track-minded Cora doesn't even really remember her, sadly. She's instead dead-set on reuniting with Justine, who's secretly been busy cozying up with a new flame named Riley (Ayden Mayeri).
Perhaps the film's funniest scene comes when Cora arrives at Justine's residence, sees Riley, and then tries to act like Riley is the guest and Cora is now the hostess. While Justine is out running groceries, Ayden tries to be hospitable and show Cora around – but Cora sees this as a threat and tries to do the same. They talk over each other and say things like "Here's where the cups are," etc. It's a riot.
Cora Bora Is an Intriguing Character Study
Portland is Cora's original homebase, where her parents still live, the list goes on. But Cora left, and now she feels out of place while back in town. Yet the self-centered, denial-brained musician just won't admit to it. When you up and leave for another life elsewhere, your past life doesn't just sit on hold. Cora faces some tough truths as she navigates a more modern Portland, even losing Justine's dog during a routine walk through the park at one point. She just can't do one thing right, as the saying goes. This hiccup does provide a lovely little cameo by Brooklyn Nine-Nine standout Chelsea Peretti, playing a ridiculous owner of another dog at the park who feels threatened when Cora tries to claim that Chelsea's dog is her own. Classic mix-up.
But when we're not laughing out loud, and Cora isn't finding herself in other outrageous scenarios – such as a third-act impromptu orgy she didn't ask for (you'll see) – she finds that facing her hard past will help her grow and face the music (no pun intended). Tragedy struck, which is why she's no longer in that rock band we see at the beginning, and maybe Justine isn't an ideal match for Cora. Stalter shows off a wonderful range of emotions here, with Cora eventually opening up to her peers about past traumas and why it's not so easy to share. Sure, these screwball comedy dramas have been done before, but don't let that deter you from this sharply appealing character study. From Brainstorm Media, Cora Bora is now playing in theaters after premiering at SXSW last year.
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