Dopamine (2003)

Dopamine is an original independent post-modern love story that reflects on traditional/modern views on love in the contemporary world, and on the difficulties of human connection in a world that is every day more virtual.The main characters are Rand -a computer animator working on a project of a virtual pet- and Sarah -a schoolteacher-, who are convincingly played by John Livingston and Sabrina Lloyd. They really have great chemistry on camera.Sarah believes in love, from heart to heart, and in a committed relationship. Rand, is very influenced by his father's teachings on human biology and chemistry, according to which most human emotions - love included- are just the result of biochemical reactions in our body. Love, in that regard, is directly connected to a high production of Dopamine in the brain. However, Sarah is rough and edgy, unpredictable, while Rand is a sweet sensitive guy.The movie is very engaging and believable. The acting is good and the main actors have chemistry. The characters are all well-drawn and grounded - believable. The dialogs are great, fresh and thought- provoking.The story is never straightforward or simplistic, and shows the difficulties surrounding men-women relationships from a new perspective.However, The pace of the movie is too slow. The music is forgettable. I don't even remember it! The colors, cinematography and texture of the film used for the movie are not visually engaging or attractive, which is a pity as the movie was shot in the colorful bright San Francisco. The end is predictable.The movie won won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

Not your typical romantic comedy. It's thought provoking and full of wit instead of the same old, same old. Perfect for anyone looking for something different... a romnatic comedy that is well directed, well filmed, well written, and, most of all, well acted. Dopamine is a film worth watching. The cast is real. The story is interesting. The characters deserve your attention and you'll remember them all. They all have different levels of depth and that's something missing from most films. It's not just a cute little romantic comedy that'll make you sigh and giggle. It's full of truth and will make you think and rethink chemistry and the chemicals that create attraction.

I really enjoyed the unfolding of these characters, all of which have their own challenges.The interplay between the programmers is especially witty. Bruno Campos is very funny and Grundy plays a great straight man.Great visual portrayal of San Francisco.Sarah has a genuineness about her that reflects reality, not stereotypes or cliches.I look forward to future works by Decena and Breitbach and they continue to evolve as filmakers.The Sundance process is one that needs to be supported and I hope to see the Sundance Film Series be a regular thing.

I had expected so much more from this movie. I felt that the trailer was good and left me wanting more. I was intrigued by the trailer which led me to actually go and watch the movie.I was disappointed though after seeing it. It didn't so much focus on the theme of the movie about chemicals or casual sex as I had expected but rather alot of other little details (the guy's work, etc). I felt that the movie had good potential though. I felt like alot of elements were there to make it good but it didn't fall through or they left things hanging. Could have expounded more on how sex is just hormones or what not. Up to this day, I'm not sure exactly what can make the movie better. I just knows it lacks something. Have yet to figure out what.