New love story puts Southeast Portland on the big screen
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Brett Dier and Conor Leslie lead the film. Image still: Courtesy of "In Spite of Ourselves"
Fall in Portland is romantic. Prolific restaurateur turned independent filmmaker Josh Loeb knows this.
Why it matters: His debut feature, "In Spite of Ourselves," takes place against the backdrop of the city's vibrant tree-lined streets, cozy cafes and acclaimed eateries — capturing Portland at its most rom-com-esque.
The big picture: The film, which opens at Living Room Theaters on Friday, follows an LA comedian and a Portland baker who are forced to confront the weighty personal baggage and professional challenges that come with being in a relationship.
- Loeb, who founded pioneering Santa Monica establishment Rustic Canyon 20 years ago, told Axios he took inspiration from '80s classics like "Bull Durham," "The Sure Thing" and "St. Elmos Fire" because they're messy and human.
- "I call it a love story because it is," he said. "There's humor in it, but it's certainly not like a gaggy film. There's a heaviness."
It all starts with a cinnamon roll meet-cute at Tabor Bread, where Hannah (Conor Leslie) and Archie (Brett Dier) fall into a whirlwind romance.
- They're quickly tested by Hannah's burgeoning career and impending surgery, and Archie's responsibilities caring for his father with advanced dementia.
The real-life twist: Leslie and Dier, who met after being cast in the film and fell in love while making it, recently got married.
Meanwhile, Loeb's love of Portland developed more than a decade ago. He and pastry chef Zoe Nathan began taking family trips here in 2016. They even bought a house in Sunnyside to spend several weeks out of the year.
- His experiences exploring Southeast helped shape the film's setting, which includes Laurelhurst Park and Korean restaurant Jeju.
- "It's not a Portland film; it's a Southeast Portland film," he said, noting much of it takes place within a 15- to 20-block radius.
Between the lines: Jumping from the precarious world of restaurants into independent filmmaking felt surprisingly familiar to Loeb.
- Both require managing large teams of creative — albeit "overworked" — people who have a shared vision, he said.
- "I'm at heart a storyteller," Loeb said, reflecting on his 25 years running restaurants. "At the end of the day, it's about being really clear with what the message is."
The bottom line: Loeb said he hopes the film gives audiences a different picture of Portland than the varying portrayals the city is used to — a quirky hipster haven à la "Portlandia" versus the grimmer images reflected in national headlines.
- "There's so much more to Portland," he said. "It has so much character to it and so much natural beauty."
If you go: "In Spite of Ourselves" is playing at Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave.) through Thursday.
- A longer run is possible depending on ticket sales.