The best thing one can say about this low-budget rom-com out of Houston TX is that parts of it would be good to play in a doctor’s office, on a TV, for couples considering IVF treatment. And I’m not being snarky – I’m serious. Parts of it feel like an industrial film that would work as what we call an “explainer video.”
As a matter of fact, the press notes offer up this:
“Though CONCEPTION is a fictional story, the film is based on Director Tarun Verma’s time as a fertility pharmacist. This film is inspired by his time helping couples trying to get pregnant and go through IVF. “It was such an eye opener to see how prevalent fertility issues are nowadays AND no one talks about it. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what race you are, infertility rates are climbing every year worldwide. I hope this film pushes the discussion forward to normalize talking about fertility struggles. My heart goes out to all the couples struggling to have a baby. I hope it happens for you and it’s everything you’d dreamed it would be,” said Verma.”
Which makes me feel like a real jerk for saying this, but Mr. Verma’s film is a snoozer, and I know it is a completely heartfelt effort on his part. The film is 1 hour and 41 minutes long, and it takes exactly 46 minutes to even arrive at the point where the couple at the center of the story decide to try IVF, as they are unable to get pregnant. And, man, it is a long, slow climb to make it there.
The film starts with Vic and Ami, out on a first date and getting to know each other. During the interminable chit-chat and sizing each other up, we are meant to think that there is some chemistry there – finally, we are let out of the scene by a flash forward of two years; the couple who has no chemistry have now been married for two years and sometime within 46 minutes, they will have tried to get pregnant without success before seeing a fertility doctor.
Here is the number one problem that kept me struggling to make it to the end (which professional ethics demand): I simply never bought actors Kareem Ghuneim (Divorce’ish) and Simren Lalani (Ghost Story Chronicles) as a real couple. Not for a second.
I don’t know whether Ghuneim’s pronunciation of sibilants made me subconsciously think he wasn’t interested in women at all, or whether his character seemed so unlikable on that first date that you’d never believe Ami would go for him. Actress Simren Lalani gives a measured performance and is so together as to be regal.
It’s also cool to see actors of color getting representation in a film. So there are several positive points present here, but I just really had to work to get in rhythm with its slow pace.
Gravitas Ventures will release the CONCEPTION on digital platforms on October 11. The film has a running time of 1 hour 41 minutes and will not be rated by the MPAA.
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