Summary Of The Play 'Outside In'

In Lynn Shelton's damp match drama, Outside In, a small, close-knit community is the home for the return of Chris (Jay Duplass). Brought home by his brother Ted (Ben Schwartz), he is free after spending 20 years in prison for being an accessory to a murder.

"He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," we learn, and although Chris never pulled the trigger or knew his friend had guns with him, he served his time and was released, in part, through the advocacy of Carol (Edie Falco), a high school teacher he once had.

As Ted brings him home to a "Welcome Home Chris!" gathering, Chris is appreciative but overwhelmed. As people are happy to see him, he starts to see old and different, yet familiar faces, all thrilled he's home. Chris,
The world has passed him by, evidenced by his efforts to apply for jobs on a bicycle, his ability to only afford an antiquated flip phone versus a smartphone, and his constantly attempting to recontextualize a town he once knew.

Quickly, Chris is left to his own devices and he is drawn to Carol, who starts to believe that Chris may be more than just appreciative, he may have feelings for her. Mired in a marriage that is functional, serviceable, but passionless, she navigates her reactions and Chris' feelings carefully.

Outside In is the product of a skilled storyteller in Lynn Shelton, who masterfully controls the mood, atmosphere, and tone in every scene. Nothing is overwrought, the dialogue sharp and thoughtful, and the movie lets each scene inhale and exhale appropriately. Though, at times, we may want things to move along more expeditiously, Falco and Duplass command our attention, as they circle one another and Chris continues to reveal more and more of his
Creative and expressive through her art, Hildy and Chris form a friendship, which not only adds a layer of complication to Carol and Chris' friendship, but also raises questions regarding a 38-year-old man hanging out with a 16-year-old girl.

Shot largely in a town called Granite Falls, in Washington state, a place I know pretty well as it exists about 45 minutes from where I personally reside, the town offers a perfect backdrop to the story being told on screen. Granite Falls is one of those communities where it feels like time just stops intermittently for a while each and every day. 20 years removed from the town, everything looks and feels essentially the same to Chris, even though that cannot possibly be true.

We can largely see where all of this is headed and Shelton and Duplass fail to offer much in the way of surprises in their story. This forces some heavy lifting on Falco and Duplass and they are terrific together. Dever's performance is understated and effective, while scenes with Falco's husband, Tom, feel forced and a bit contrived (Charles