I'm not a fan of modern romantic comedies that are filled with contrivances and frustratingly stupid "obstacles" intended to keep the couple apart until the final close-up. Likewise, it's hard to think of a romantic drama in which we see the relationship run its course in a way that approaches reality. My resistance is based in part on my life experience; perhaps if I met the love of my life at first glance in high school or was currently involved in a long-term relationship finally crumbling in bitterness and recrimination, I'd feel differently. As it is, I tend to avoid relationship movies because they ring so false and hollow to me.

In contrast, Natural Causes, while not perfect, is composed of so many identifiably true moments that I fell in love with the movie.

David (Jerzy Gwiazdowski) is initially attracted to Shaina (Shonda Leigh Robbins), while his friend flirts with her roommate Cara (Leah Goldstein). David and Shaina end up together that night in her bedroom. Fade to black; the next time we see David, he's riding an elevator with Cara, who is no longer rooming with Shaina. Cara and David begin talking, which progresses to flirting, which progresses to spending the night together.


The early scenes between David and Cara are sweet, quiet, and tender. They're playful and sexy throughout, obviously trying to flatter one another but also teasing out boundaries, as in: How far can I take a joke with this person? How seriously should I take this relationship? How much time should I invest? Which barriers do I lower and when?

As their relationship grows, so do the problems and arguments, but a considerable amount of time is spent on the initial, blissfully romantic times, so much so that it's a bit disconcerting to see them start to have disagreements. They've been well established as a likable, loving couple by that point, and even when they argue, they seem to be able to reel in their feelings to avoid poisoning the well. That stage eventually passes, though, and David and Cara must face some hard truths.

By focusing so intently on the up and down relationship of one couple, Natural Causes takes a big risk. If you don't relate to their trials and tribulations, you might find them insufferable. Even if you cut them some slack, you might be overwhelmed by the claustrophobic nature of the film. It's like being locked in a tiny closet for 90 minutes. One friend told me later that he was only willing to go so far with the couple; the film lost him when it pushed beyond what he felt was real.

Admittedly, the film has its problems. For example, after the opening sequence, there are scenes between David and Shaina that appear out of nowhere and are perplexing because it's not clear where they fit in the stream of time. (The filmmakers fade to black and leave long, long breaks to signify obvious passages of time -- except here.) Initially, I thought David was cheating on Cara with Shaina, but in retrospect I think it was David flashing back and remembering how that relationship had gone wrong.

There are other little things that bothered me, such as an inexplicably hostile friend of a friend at a picnic. Overall, though, I think the film works. It's so personal that it's bound to inspire very personal reactions, which may range from love to loathing.

The performances by Jerzy Gwiazdowski and Leah Goldstein help seal the deal. It wasn't until after the movie that I learned they're a real-life couple, which surprised me because most real-life couples have little chemistry on screen. Yet they convinced me they were, at various stages, a flirting couple getting to know one another, a comfortable pair of lovers playing video games naked, and a bickering twosome.

Natural Causes was made by Alex Cannon, Michael Lerman, and Paul Cannon, who shared in writing, producing, directing, and editing the picture. They helped their cause considerably by composing consistently beautiful shots and making good use of both songs and silence on the soundtrack.