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Twenty Million People is the romantic comedy for people who don’t like romantic comedies. In fact, throughout the movie the traditional “rom com” is poked fun of over and over again, giving the viewer a sense that the film makers are not only making fun of the genre in general, but also at themselves for having made this movie in the first place. Not to say that this movie is nothing but cheap jokes taken at an over-done genre, because it is so much more than that. It was just really refreshing to see a movie that knows its place and holds its head high.

                Twenty Million People is the story of Brian, a barista in New Jersey, the girl he meets, Ashley and their friends Edward and Laura. At first it’s a tale of 2 couples: Ashley and Brian being newly together are joined at the hip and having fun, while Edward and Laura have been together for years and are more like an older married couple. As things begin to get serious between Brian and Ashley, she disappears. At about the same time Edward and Laura break up. The rest of the movie is spent pondering the questions: “how hard do you search for a lost love before you give up?” and “how do you move on from something you’ve had for so long?”

                Twenty Million People is writer, director and actor Michael Ferrell’s first feature film and he did a superb job. My favorite touch throughout is the advice and so-called expertise Brian and Ashley receive from the characters (imaginarily of course) in the “rom com” shown at the coffee house Brian works at in the beginning of the movie. That’s not the only thing I enjoyed about this film though. The whole movie had the down to earth feel that so many others are lacking these days. The speech throughout had the reckless awkwardness that I’m sure most young adults these days (myself included) can relate to. Things are said that aren’t meant and things aren’t said that should’ve been. Not to say that that’s a bad thing in the least. It gives a certain unscripted quality to the film that others can only hope to achieve.  I think that this movie is a wonderful snapshot of the way my generation (not to date myself too much!) is stumbling their way into and through true adulthood, for better or worse!

                Twenty Million People was written, directed by and stars Michael Ferrell with Devin Sanchez, Chris Prine, Tom Bartos and Gregory Lay. There are hopes to distribute online and through Video On Demand within the year.