Seekers of Infinite Love made its world premiere at SXSW in March, and I still can’t get it out of my mind. Written and directed by Victoria Strouse, the Finding Dory and Family Switch writer makes her directorial debut with Seekers and knocks it out of the park.
The script had been in the works for nearly a decade before landing on the perfect cast. Hacks Emmy winner, Hannah Einbinder, commands the screen as Kayla Bachman. Einbinder is meticulous at playing anxiety-ridden characters. While Ava Daniels is the poster child for anxiety as the comedy writer who keeps breaking down, Kayla is next-level as a claustrophobic author who is doing everything to keep it together. While no stranger to a specific type of role, Einbinder’s comedic prowess is on display full force in Seekers, highlighting her ability to master multifaceted characters.
Once Kayla arrives at her brother’s office, Strouse’s picture of the estranged siblings becomes clear. John Reynolds (Search Party) is Zach. As the hierarchy goes, Zach is the eldest, so naturally, he felt obligated to give up his dream of becoming a musician and chose the more responsible path to live out his life as a lawyer. Zach’s resentment and need to lead should resonate with every firstborn. Reynolds brings strong choices and an endearing touch to the character.
Zach’s urgency to get Kayla to the office was not to reconnect, but to let her know that their sister, Scarlett (played by Nobody Wants This actress Justine Lupe), has left the state and joined a doomsday cult (called Seekers of Infinite Wisdom), led by the enigmatic Hal (played by Greg Kinnear, who gets introduced down the line).
Zach fills Kayla in on their missing sister’s predicament and lets her know their parents hired a deprogrammer, Rick (played by Justin Theroux), to help find her. So, they reconnect with their younger brother, Wes (Griffin Gluck), and the four team up to extract Scarlett from an undeserving fate. Each of these characters brings a different relatable personality to the mix, making their journey a hilarious unraveling filled with heart.
Wes is a troubled comic book writer. Failing at life in part due to a drug and gambling habit, he shows up at first almost as a comedic relief. That is, until we meet Rick. It’s almost as if each one — Kayla, Zach, Wes, and Rick — layered with psychological trauma, constantly one-ups the other in practical absurdity.
The situation goes from bad to worse when Kayla takes one of Wes’s pills to calm her flight anxiety, but instead, is given an Adderall, leading to events that cause the foursome to get kicked off the plane. The unplanned road trip to Kentucky puts them in even closer quarters, setting off a series of events that unfold in sidesplitting scenarios.
Rick, with his “expertise,” leads the trio across the country as they uncover the cult’s whereabouts, and discover it’s a race against the clock, as Hal has planned a mass suicide for his followers. It’s all very Jim Jones. The siblings must put their differences aside and their questions about Rick aside to reach Scarlett and attempt to bring her to her senses before it’s too late.
Tracking the Seekers leads the Bachman siblings to a weight loss camp for kids, and then to a bar, where Rick connects the siblings to another family who is attempting to save their son from Hal’s brainwashing ways. This is where the unraveling goes from mild to mayhem and continues to escalate in a wildly unexpected turn of events. Theroux keeps the audience on the edge of their seat for most of the film, wondering whether Rick is a skilled operative or more messed up than the trio. A pit stop at an auto body shop reveals more about his character, and we learn he may have an even darker past than initially thought, not just some quirky eccentricities.
His zaniness doesn’t stop Kayla from getting attached. While she works through her relationship issues, Zach unpacks his unresolved bitterness, and Wes (forced to sober up), seems to be learning about himself for the first time in his life. As chaos ensues, so does the comedy. As outlandish as some of these scenarios may be, the natural progression of the characters and their journeys, coupled with the pacing of Strouse’s script, brings to light a sibling story riddled with smart and physical comedy — all the while, touching on family dynamics in a way that’s true to heart.
Rick reluctantly departs due to unforeseen circumstances, leaving the trio to rescue Scarlett on their own. No experienced tactics. Just love. And, a few pointers they picked up along the way from Rick.
In the end, it’s family over everything. Even the charming Greg Kinnear couldn’t stand in the way. The sibling dynamic is complicated. Seekers of Infinite Love does the most wonderful job of drawing you into the story, making you laugh, and leaving you feeling completely satisfied. This movie reminds us that no matter how different siblings are, the one thing they have in common is the family they come from — even the most dysfunctional can thrive as long as they’ve got each other.
Review published in: We Live Entertainment