86 Minutes/2008/Color/Stereo/USA
In Frank V. Ross’s own words, Present Company is about people “doing the right thing even though they shouldn’t be.” Ross and Tamara Fana star as an unmarried couple with a baby. They have made the decision to stay together for the kid. Living in her parents’ basement, their choice proves to be damaging for every party involved. In what is essentially a domestic melodrama stripped of all melodramatic conventions, Ross brilliantly crafts a situation in which the very conflict stems from the characters’ inability to be melodramatic. They speak around issues and avoid direct confrontation. Their frustrations permeate through minor squabbles over dirty dishes or sharing the car. Even as both partners pursue other romantic options and develop genuine feelings for their suitors, they act with hesitance, appearing uncertain of what the consequences of separating could entail. Perhaps Ross’s most overlooked film, Present Company is a darkly funny and provocative examination of brutally inhibited souls stuck in a relationship that has long since run its course.
“Present Company is the film that most strongly presents the attributes that make me love Ross’s films. This film is so raw in its emotions and meanings: it doesn’t give any room for melodrama nor cleanliness. It’s one of the best ever American movies.” – Adi Jahić, Director of Things We Like
“When someone dismisses ‘mumblecore’ out of hand it tells me a lot. Mostly, it tells me that they think their life is especially interesting and that they haven’t seen the films of Frank V. Ross.” – Bennett Glace, Split Tooth Media
