Cora Bora
Summary
While on the 2023 film festival circuit , Cora Borawas bill as comedian andHacksscene - stealer Megan Stalter ’s first leading role . For me , that was reason enough to prioritize seeing director Hannah Pearl Utt ’s ( Before You Know It ) comedy - drama atFrameline ’s 47th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival . Stalter drive home in spade , but much in the same style her character , aspiring musician Cora , masks her mussy hurting with euphony and self - head game , Cora Boramasks a gut - punch character study in cringe - clowning housing .
Cast
Anyone familiar with the star ’s sketch and improvisational comedy will recognise thatStalter excels at work deluded , theatrical characters . It ’s precisely why thecomedian - sour - actor expand asHacks ’ Kayla , a ego - assured , yet purposely unaware , Hollywood assistant . Stalter brings those chops toCora Bora , playing a down - on - her - fate millennial who inexplicably extirpate herself , go from Portland to Los Angeles with dreams of name it , broken guitar cause and all .
Coasting from one under - attended fishgig to another , Cora has a sudden actualisation : Her girlfriend Justine , played by the ever - sorcerous Jojo T. Gibbs ( Twenties , Civil War ) , is pulling aside . With her open kinship on the rocks , Cora decides to show up entirely unannounced in Portland — at the house she used to deal with Justine . When it becomes painfully light that Justine has a newfangled primary collaborator , Riley ( Ayden Mayeri ) , Persephone clings to any excuse she can reckon of to account for Riley ’s presence .
Cora’s Willful Obliviousness Is Played For Laughs, But It’s Also More Than Cringe Comedy
Cora Bora uses screwball antics to reveal a more emotional core
If Cora was cringey before , she ’s all - out ignoring the writing on the wall in Portland . Justine , who still cares about Cora , tries to bit by bit make her recognise the accuracy , but Cora ’s willful neglect embark on to weigh to a great extent on everyone — Justine , Riley , Cora ’s parents , random strangers like euphony producer Tom ( The Good Place ’s Manny Jacinto ) or destitute - game creative person Margaret Cho , and even Cora ’s mis - gendered lost Canis familiaris . People who are commit into Cora ’s antics enquire her repeatedly a version of “ What ’s wrong with you?”Played for laugh , the question also suggest at the reason for Cora ’s oft - unhinged behaviour .
Cora Bora’s Complexity Shines Thanks To Megan Stalter’s Nuanced Performance
Stalter has pitch-perfect comedic timing & dramatic chops
During one of her sets , Cora sings , “ All those who roll are totally f***ing fall back ” in a droning deadpan . It ’s hilarious because it evokes a PG-13 version ofFriend’sPhoebe Buffay taking aim at empty “ Live , Laugh , Love”-style platitudes . However , asCora Boraunfolds , that lyric underline a searing truth . We do n’t learn what terrible matter pushed Cora to leave Portland until the last sliver of the film . When it happens , Cora ’s life is mussy than ever .
Stalter ’s performance place her amusing headliner power on full display , reiterating the actor ’s lurch - perfect comedic timing .
Suffice it to say that the reveal is jarring , but not in a bad style . Punctuated by heart - aching moments , Stalter ’s performance puts her comic star power on full display , restate the doer ’s excellent comedic timing . Stalter convinces us to really buy into her character ’s willful brush asides and squirm - inducing ramblings . But all of it is thrifty deflection . Cora wants to result certain affair far behind , but she also fears complete modification . At every turn , she find oneself herself running , though she clearly does n’t know where to turn next .
This reveal turnsCora Borainto a screwball comedy with surprising nuance and layers — a coming - of - age fib that stem from a life being so completely upended . Utt and screenwriter Rhianon Jones tap into the genre ’s hallmarks but manage to corrupt expected value , and , in the end , suggest that being “ totally f***ing lose ” is all right , even when it ’s a total mess .
Cora Borawill be put out in theaters nationwide on June 14 .
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Cora Bora follow Cora , who feel that her relationship is not going well . She go back home to deliver the goods her girlfriend back but she will realize that it ’s much more than her honey living that require salvaging .
