The lives of creatives always make for an interesting topic. Going behind the scenes and seeing what makes a musician tick or what influences them to write is fantastic to see. Dandelion makes the viewer a fly-on-the-wall to the budding relationship between Dandelion, played by Kiki Layne, and Casey, played by Thomas Doherty. We are there to watch them brainstorm lyrics to a song and watch how their intimate moments birth the music that they create together.
When we first meet Dandelion she is a singer at a hotel bar. In this bar, she is treated more as background music than an actual performer. Feeling deflated most nights Dandelion still pushed through hoping to make her dream come true. She is informed about a battle of the bands in South Dakota where the winner will open up for a major act. After a tense interaction with her mother, she packs up and leaves for the contest. The resentment Dandelion feels for her mother is explained later on as we learn more about Dandelion and her missed opportunities.
Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
In South Dakota, Dandelion meets Casey. Casey is back in town to perform with his former bandmates and takes a liking to her. The two form a friendship that inspires them to make music together. The filming of some of these scenes feels intimate as the camera closes in on their hands, faces, and scenery as they compose a song. It puts you inside the writing process and it is refreshing to see how the lyrics seem to flow through them as they compose a song. As opposed to seeing the tortured artist sitting at a desk writing and crumbling up pages and pages, this construction of a song feels a little more organic when the two people involved are in the zone.
As the movie progresses, we see Casey sharing his knowledge of the industry with Dandelion. He opens some new opportunities for her and takes her to a recording studio to record one of her songs. Casey looks like the struggling artist with the unkept hair and brooding look but this firemanship/relationship feels rushed. There is a twist in the final act of the movie that I will not give away but it was not something that I was expecting.
Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Dandelion learns through a series of events that it is the music that is important not the size of the stadium that she is performing. This is a great message for anyone who is an artist to learn. You must love what you do and understand that the result of your finished piece is the reward. Dandelion’s journey not only empowers her to create new music but also to take a chance on herself. The final song embodies her spirit and is a great motivational song for anyone who feels like their art is not appreciated. Bryce and Aaron Dressner from The National have outdone themselves with the songs they created for this movie.
Final Thoughts: Dandelion is a touching look into the lives of musicians and seeing how their lives inspire their music. Kiki Layne as Dandelion and Thomas Doherty as Casey, are compelling characters that take us into their world and capture the longing to be successful with your music. Although the pace is a little slow at times, it is these moments where we can really feel what the musicians feel as they craft their art. The music in Dandelion is written by Bryce and Aaron Dressner of The National.
Kid-Friendly: Dandelion is rated R and there is one heated sex scene that is intercut with the two leads singing a song. The story about the struggles one must go through to achieve their dreams is good for older kids, but the slow pace might not hold the attention of younger kids.
Violence: There is no violence in this movie.
Dandelion (KiKi Layne), a struggling Cincinnati singer-songwriter in a downward spiral, takes a last-ditch-effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota where she meets Casey (Thomas Doherty), a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago. As Dandelion joins Casey’s nomadic group of struggling musicians, the kindred spirits make music together and strike up a whirlwind romance. The experience moves Dandelion from a narrow view of success to a deeper appreciation of her artistic journey, and the discovery of a voice that is authentically her own.