The Freebie (film)

Synopsis

In Los Angeles, Annie and Darren are a married couple in a comfortable relationship that's lost its spark. They talk constantly, express affection verbally, start the day with high-end coffee, end the afternoon with gelato, shop at the farmer's market, prepare dinner as a team, do crossword puzzles, and talk in bed. Darren wonders if a one-night stand would help bring more sex to their marriage. Soon, the two of them are laying out the ground rules and talking through the mechanics of each finding a lover for one night. They agree to give each other no details about the experience. The night comes. Will this give their relationship a needed boost?

Plot

Darren (Dax Shepard) and Annie (Katie Aselton) have an enviable relationship built on love, trust and communication—they still enjoy each other's company and laugh at each other's jokes. Unfortunately, they can't remember the last time they had sex. When a dinner party conversation leads to an honest discussion about the state of their love life, and when a sexy bikini photo shoot leads to crossword puzzles instead of sex, they begin to flirt with an idea for a way to spice things up. The deal: one night of freedom, no strings attached, no questions asked. Could a "freebie" be the cure for their ailing sex life? And will they go through with it? 'The Freebie' is an insightful and humorous look at love, sustaining relationships, and the awkwardness of monogamy when the haze of lust has faded.

Cast

Production

In an interview for the film, Aselton revealed she had only written a 6-page outline, with the rest of the dialogue being improvised. She also revealed that some scenes lasted as long as 30 minutes to make conversations work for the audience. Originally, another actor was going to portray the role of Darren, but once the actor exited, Shepard came on board.

Reception

The Freebie received mixed reviews from film critics. It holds a 56% "Fresh" rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 5.6/10. On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 54 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Todd McCarthy of Variety gave the film a positive writing : "From a performance p.o.v., Aselton and Shepard hold the screen well and are most watchable, and Aselton does a fluid directing job within the limited challenge she set for herself production-wise. Benjamin Kasulke’s HD lensing is bright and sharp, while Nat Sanders’ editing is very crisp." Andrew Schenker of SlantMagazine.com gave the film a negative review giving the film a 1.5/10 writing : " Never are Aselton’s failings more evident than in a pair of dinner party scenes, one of which opens the film, and which involve the central couple and their friends in a discussion of the nature of romance."