Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Fear, Love, and Agoraphobia'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

If there’s one thing every movie goer out there enjoys, it’s a good old fashioned inspirational story. That kind of tale where good people find themselves in the midst of a personal struggle, one where they are forced to go through complete and utter hell before buckling down to face their demons and they come out of the other side stronger than before they started their journey. It’s the kind of story we simply eat up time and time again because who doesn’t love a happy ending and there is great joy to be found in seeing our fellow human beings overcome the odds and defeat adversity.
 
But while these movies often times leave our spirits soaring, let’s be honest, they are the finest representation available of the fact that film is in essence, a place to escape to. Because personal strife and crises aren’t always so easy to overcome. Sometimes we see our lives fall to pieces before our very eyes when the going gets tough, or trauma and issues with our mental health contribute to the fact that things aren’t going the way we want to them to as we struggle to put the pieces back together and recently, I had the opportunity to watch a film that addresses the personal battle to see a better tomorrow in frank and realistic light in Fear, Love, and Agoraphobia.
 
In this tale, we are introduced to two a pair of people named Chet and Maggie, who are going through some incredibly tough times at the moment. Chet, suffers from Agoraphobia and his life is turned upside down when his mother and only lifeline to the outside world decides to move away in order to live her life as she sees fit. As for Maggie, well she’s a former Marine who is now homeless after her husband is thrown in a jail for a crime he claims he didn’t commit and the drink is her only solace in a world she struggles to understand. But fate has a funny way of bringing together people in need and when these two become roommates, they start to understand that they’re not alone in this world, nor are they misfits and their unlikely connection to one another, will inspire them in ways they could never imagine. 

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So, let’s just get it out there right now, I loved this movie, for so many reasons. The first one being, the fact that it presents mental illness and PTSD in honest and raw fashion. There’s nothing held back when it comes to the two respective ailments these dynamic characters suffer from and that’s wonderful because both of those topics are in fact taboo in this day and age. Movies in this vein often present issues such as this as nothing more than simple obstacles to overcome when in fact, they are not. They are a struggle for those dealing with these particular ailments and it was so refreshing to see this film not have the characters just wake up one day feeling fine. 
 
In fact, that takes us to the second reason why I enjoyed this film so much, the fact that it presents real life struggles for what they are, a daily battle to get to where we want to be. There are setbacks in this film for both Chet and Maggie, just as there are for us when we fight the good fight, and this movie takes the time to remind us that the real secret to getting better is to surround ourselves with people that genuinely care about us and see us for who we are and that sometimes, an active choice to face our demons and work toward defeating them at our own pace can work wonders as well and by presenting all of these elements in such realistic fashion, you’re left with a compelling motion picture that sucks you in from the get go.
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But what I truly enjoyed about this film, is that it actually turns out to be quite the inspiring tale after all. Because despite the hardships and setbacks these characters go through, they never stop fighting for what they want in this life, which is a desire to taste a sense of internal peace for a change and man, seeing them keep fighting for what they want, definitely lifts you up when all is said and done. Either way, this is just a true gem of a motion picture, one filled to the brim with poignant moments and fine performances, especially from Lori Petty, who steals every single scene she’s in, and it’s a film I highly recommend because it is one of those rare tales that gives you a slice of everyday life, and it’s one that stays with you long after its come to an end. 

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