Forget About Everything for Awhile

I'm super excited to share this with you. Mason and I spent the last two weeks bringing 'Forget About Everything for Awhile' to life, a feature film shot in six days while quarantined, entirely improvised. I hope people enjoy and, as always, if you make a movie I will watch it too!

"Oh like Mr. Brightside?"
"Yeah. You know that song?"
"Yeah... I brought it up"

This is what happens when a guy who has a lot to say, runs into a guy who is afraid to say anything. Figure out who is which.

The ping pong scene was so hilariously frustrating.
"Let's just back and forth. Keep it going though"
Joel catches the ball every time

I've never seen someone perform being drunk in such a realistic way.

Never thought that an improvised film could be this high in quality

"Why are you crying what's wrong?"
"Oh nothing it's just been a while since somebody's done that."
"Done what?"
"Told me something that matters"

''Maybe it's something in my subconscious''
''Or conscious''
''Maybe drunk conscious''
''still conscious''

I love that the Scrabble board only has EGGS and FARTS

“Sounds horrible”
“No it was-“
“I meant it sounds horrible to loose”
Is Joel just a genius

The no homo stranger bromance was really deep.

this feels awfully real, they talk over eachother, misinterpret eachother, there are long silences where the dialogue is allowed to breathe. it's uncomfortable and engaging and gives off the feeling that they are in a liminal space, one of transition and change.
two lonely strangers clashing and coming together, finding comfort in eachother. there's an assurance in sharing to a stranger, a lack of consequences and context. i really enjoyed this film, thanks!

I enjoyed the clash between drunk Mason and sober Mason almost being two different people. I would love to see him more, amazing performance

The part where he shut the door and said "asshole" really resonated with me.

It's wild how much this reflects how people actually talk to eachother other than what's shown in other movies.

"You're the guy from the window"
Yes..indeed

Hey Joel, Cinematographer from Montreal here. "Forget About Everything" is the second of your film I took the time to sit down and watch. Like the first time, I can't really understand my emotions and I feel a regain of life inside of me. Your movies are NOTHING like everything that out there, it is literally incredible. I see in your work one particular aspect that makes it so refreshing and different. Your movies feel so real, and that is for me very clear that the way you shoot your movies is in perfect harmony with the way it's played. You make long, slow and powerful wide shots that speak, and the most important part: No closeup. When the characters interact with each other we have one shot, that it, and that the most powerful use of wide shot I can ever recall seeing. We don't feel like we follow and understand the characters like in other movies. The wide shots, let us, no no, force us to be in the room with you. I literally feel like I'm sitting in the room and I can't move, speak or interact with you. This creates a type of awkwardness that is subtle but REAL. It feels real, and today Cinema is missing that. Joel, my 2021 wish is for you to keep making those movies, I feel like I'm growing from watching them and I just can't wait to continue doing so!
PS: Really love your take on the cinematography and colour correction on this one, feels natural and warm, the outside shot, corridor and symmetrical shot are so pleasing to see!
(Sorry for my English, my mother tongue is french)
Wishing you the best Joel!
Milan

My takeaway from this is that joel wears his belts backwards

I'd never let a drunk stranger into a house I'm sitting

"You're fuckin way funnier when you're fuckin drunk."
Suddenly existential.
I felt that.

Really didn't foresee watching this all the way through but it's just so hypnotic. The whole thing feels like one of those dreams you get where everything is 98% realistic but there's 2% strange dream logic mixed in.

Holy shit - how do you do this improvised- that’s insane- this was done so well :’0

Woah...when they speak, it's like...I feel like I'm in the room with them. Incredible. The improvisation is so interesting. This singlehandedly changed how I view movies and media in a way I know not how to describe. Bravo.

Holy shit, second movie I've seen by this guy and the endings from both had me in tears.

Joel have under ten minutes = funni times
Joel when he makes a 20+ minute video = weird and actually really good shit

This was an interesting watch for me. Definitely hit home in a couple of places but not the places I would've expected. I'd have to say one of the things I appreciate most about this film is the unique way the characters are developed. The story focuses on the relationship between these two guys and how they interact then and there. There is no precursor context for this film, the two characters exist in their own world independent of whatever is going on outside. It is made clear that they have their own lives, and other personal issues, but their relationship and interactions are left to develop naturally and uninfluenced by outside variables. They interact as a snapshot of who they are at that point in time. I realize that was probably the intention, and most likely a result of it being improvised, but I think that's what makes it stand out for me. The characters are both at a static point in their lives, with little external interaction, which is so strongly contrasted with the extremely dynamic relationship they are unfolding with each other. I don't know if it's supposed to be that deep but I found the concept really interesting. The other thing I really appreciated was the composition style and feel of the film. There's something about this film that evades that recognizable "low budget film that's trying to look big budget" feel. This does't bite off more that it can chew, and it knows what it is without taking itself too seriously. Or at least that's what it seems like from my perspective. While I did thoroughly enjoy the film, I think some of themes that are developed through the film, like the romantic issues both characters face, as well as their dynamic of male friendship, are left with little reflection from either character. I don't mean to say closure or resolve, as I think those two qualities were most likely intentionally excluded, but I think some character reflection could have had potential. Mainly after the second to last scene, which is pretty heavy. However that's just a personal opinion. Also general question, what do you use for a mic? It sounds like you're using a lav, and in a lot of scenes it didn't look like you could've used a shotgun, but I never saw any cord or mic or battery pack. Anyways sorry for the long comment, but great film, keep it up, very refreshing.

Wow. I am honestly pretty speechless. This was incredible. Fantastic shots, great acting, captivating story. Some downright hilarious moments and others which had me in deep introspective thought. Thanks for this wonderful experience, Joel and Mason! This one is my new favorite.
PS: Impressive drunk acting, Mason!

What Joel isn't telling us is that this isn't actually improvised, it's just how they met. Joel was house sitting and hid a bunch of cameras everywhere and the other guy randomly showed up.

I usually shy away from straight 1hr projects like this unless its a videogame video essay. But after watching ur 150 vid in a year video I am glad I came back to watch this. IT WAS GREAT i never felt like you fell into the pitfalls of improv where you just needlessly riff off each other with no plot significance. all the shots and dialog were necessary and interesting! it was like working out a puzzle and figuring out each character for your self.
For the ladder you 420% hired a stunt double you are dirty pants on fire liar lol.
but in serious wrap-up, I vibe with the ending message and the last shot really touched me personally, ty man this was great.

This was excellent. Almost hypnotic to watch.

I started watching this without realizing it was a movie and holy shit man it’s amazing, you have serious talent comedically and far beyond

I think it would be great if you guys did a sort of Director’s commentary on this.
I’m curious to know the process- did you film scenes chronologically, how many takes did scenes take, how did the story evolve and come into being through improv?
Awesome movie!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤️❤️

Big props to whoever was in charge of setting up all the shots. I seriously appreciate all the symmetrical compositions!

Your comfort w silence is insane.
Like, I don’t see timing like that hardly anywhere. It’s insane.

BTW the song at 46:20 is called Break Me Off a Piece of Your Heart by Kevin Sloan

I think this is your most underrated work in a while! I love this one and have kept coming back to it over the last few months. My love for this one keeps growing!

What a scom experience it was to watch this. Very well done, guys.

This is criminally underrated

This was nice. This vibed in a familiar anxious way. Its a taste of a riveting, yet deeply troubling anxiety that has haunted most of my childhood. I can best describe it as an embodiment of uncertainty.

I don't know why that last shot hit so hard.

Lol dude that “were you sleeping??” bit in the pool truly cracked me up. So so funny.

There is something very... human, about this film. I can't place it, but wow, this is pretty great. I had seen a lot of your comedy skits before and recognized you were a skilled filmmaker (and funny guy), so I decided to watch this from beginning to end. Wonderful. Now I'm kind of inspired I think. And looking forward to more gems like this one from you

This is a masterpiece. It made me think how a good film should raise more questions rather than giving answers. And by that I don't mean as in, existential questions, but questions within the story that's being told. What I noticed is that a lot of times you leave the viewer wondering little things, or wanting to see certain things. Like when the two of them are watching the sunset and we can't see the sunset. Every single human being loves the sunset, everyone would have loved to see that, but the viewer is instead left with this hanging desire. Or the scene of the music when they are at the window. The lyrics of the songs make you wonder "are they trying to communicate that message to the girl? or to the other guy? or to themselves? or to all of these combined?". I also really liked how everything flows perfectly, even when the story escalates: just before the upsetting 'event' (when he locks himself into the other side of the house) Joel says "I know you didn't call anyone", which was the perfect sentence to introduce the more dramatic part of the film. And by the way, what a place, what a setting! Great great stuff.

Honestly, watched this enough times to wish for a dvd copy of it 🥺 Idk why but I feel attached to this one, like a comfort film.

i hope he found someone who preferred him sober, someone who would hug him and tell him how much they like him as a person, not as entertainment or just a pretty piece of ass, feel more than passion towards him. He is utterly loveable.

I’m so lonely, and this makes it worse, and I don’t know why but I love it

it's amazing to me that this was entirely improvised...

I'm completely jealous of the leisure time the characters could afford, simply chilling in a huge house and having no responsibilities. I wish we got an idea into how old they were meant to be and why they don't have jobs.

This film changed the way i watch movies. I used to watch movies for an intriguing story, im mostly interested in a movie that can transport me to different worlds

Okay, I started off sceptial since I'm not one to tread on unknown movie territory but this film was good. Suprisingly good, even though it was made by two boys in quarantine and no script. The start was loud and colorful with the noise getting louder with the fight until it was only silence. Silence breaking into talking and after going into crying. I really liked it and I will probably watch it again on a rainy day since it felt relatable in some weird way. I'm happy that this exists but sad that not so many people have had the pleasure of watching this. 5/5 Novice movie watcher stars.

Very cool. The last scene was what sealed the deal for me, the painfully slow pan over to the chair, then seeing the clothes right where Mason's character was introduced. Just great.

“We spend so much of our life tryin’ to do somethin’ to please everyone, but I think it’s so much easier to please someone”.
Jeeez Louiiise

Good to see Joel really not forgetting his house duties, Mason the family dog looks well fed

He didn‘t make it around the beer 😔.

“It was one of the worst parts”
Gold

Just realized it's an hour long. . guess it's movie night. :D

Wow, I just so happen to be house sitting, and in a long distance relationship with someone who makes me feel the same way when I watched this. So the ending got me good. Don't think another movie has ever made me cry as much

I've really enjoyed watching this while drifting off to sleep (and I mean that in the nicest way possible; this was what I wanted to dedicate the last hour of my day to 😊). It's put me in a very introspective headspace.
I love how there's still a strong whiff of your humour in here, alongside poignant nuggets of improv and beautiful shots. The setting made me nostalgic for sun-kissed holidays, heart-to-hearts with friends and oddly meaningful encounters with strangers.
But most of all, I love how the jammed door evolved from a slapstick prop to a pivotal plot point. 👏 This was all so good.

Every couple of months I'll trip balls and randomly find a Joel Haver movie, and it never fails. How can anyone be bored with the entirety of the human experience?

Wait...that’s it?! Wow...how did an hour go by like that and I didn’t notice? I was like an hour? I probably won’t watch the whole thing, I usually only watch short films and KRplus videos more often but...I watched the whole thing without noticing. Well done.

Wholesome Joel. gonna go down in history as a classic. Kinda reminds me of joe pera's character but not so nerdy.

someone else mentioned your work is hypnotic and i find that word very accurate. hypnotic, pleasing to the eyes, smooth, entrancing, keeps me wanting more. i hope you didn't sell your soul to no devil or nothin

Feels like a character study of people I’ve met before but that I don’t know. Like that one dude from that house party going through a crisis.

I'm just 11 minutes in and already know I'll be watching the whole thing in one go, instantly gripping movie.

Wow, normally your stuff makes me roll over laughing. I thought I was in for a lighthearted comedy, and instead I got two guys trying to understand their loneliness together that plucked at my heartstrings. Please make more, its phenomenal.

Aw man - I wasn't expecting a cry this early in the morning... thanks so much for creating something so beautiful Joel and Mason!

13:47
I'm just glad I'm not the only who moves the headrests on those chairs down to the lumbar region. They are uncomfortable up high.

Man, I initially thought that your kind of humor would not be able to entertain me for a full hour, but boy was I wrong.
I'm glad I checked this out. It's probably the 2nd or 3rd indie movie I've ever watched, so I'm definitively not an expert, but not once I felt that this was produced by a 2 man crew.
The theme also speaks to me, with the two characters finding some way to comunicate to each other despite their differences, fears and traumas.
Bravo Joel. I look forward to your future work. I'd be curious to see a medium lenght animated film from you.

Wow. It's amazing what quality of films you create on a shoestring budget. No bells and whistles necessary. Loved it!!!

This feels so much more real than almost anything I've ever seen on TV...

I think we’ve all been there... Yup. This EXACT situation. We’ve all been there before...

This is insane how Joel and Mason executed this.
It literally felt too real, like the emotions I felt aren't those of some "Big Screen" Movie where you feel crazy adrenaline and suspense and have to wait for a buildup to those parts. But it was subtle and just felt absolutely real, the emotion was constant, the Ambience was amazing, this was just a pure work of art.
Joel and Mason, thank you for this wonderful movie.

i dont think i can give a thorough well thought out and well written review but i loved it. to me this film exists in 3 am depression insomnia where u just lie silently in ur bed until the u can start making out the shapes of ur bedroom and u realize the sun started to rise and it's 5:30 am.
everything about this film feels quiet and still and timeless. i love the natural pacing and development so much

I really liked the line where he said that he wasn't really going to wait around another week and a half for her. To me that felt like a turning point.
Throughout the film there are various ideas floating around about what it means to forget, or take a break from your problems. The messages that came through clearest to me, were 1. that our problems are always sort of there, a part of us. The way these two people couldn't quite escape each other either, even when they locked themselves on either side of the house. Maybe our problems are even a double-sided coin, and we really need what's on the other side & 2. I felt like in that moment, when he said he wouldn't wait around for her, he realized that she wasn't waiting around for him either... that even if you try to take a break from your problems, that doesn't mean that your problems take a break too.
It was still nice to forget about everything for a while though... For one hour it wasn't winter here, and I didn't have homework to do.

The timing of that airplane at 58:00 was incredible.

It's like two house cats roaming around the house all day, waiting for their owner to come home.

You're a crazy person!! Fantastic Work

I came for the comedy and stayed for the deep drama. Also I wish I could live there. Some people really just own places others would have to take a vacation for.

man, this was the first movie I've actually watched in like 3 years, thanks for something so engaging.

This movie broke me like a Kit-Kat bar but in a really welcome way.

I put this on to have background noise while I did the dishes and ended up sitting down and really watching it all the way through. It’s entrancing.

This is honestly my favorite movie, it feels so real and it’s astonishing that it’s all improvised. I even cried towards the end which is not very common for me to do, I love this movie so much and I’m probably gonna watch this a bunch over the next couple years. Good job man I’m glad you’re blowing up!

this movie has been my comfort watch whenever i'm feeling down for a while now :)

I think one of my favorite things here is the role this massive house takes on. This movie could not have happened in another location.

I've watched only two of your films and both have made me cry in a way that only I have been able to make myself cry. I don't think I'll ever be able to name how but these films are deeply personal. Thank you.

I love the quiet. Very easy to watch, a nice depiction of life. Really really lovely. Thank you both for making this

This movie made me fucking cry

Really great movie Joel. I usually don't comment on YT videos, but I want to encourage you in my small way.
This is the second film of yours that I've watched and I've got to say you're so great at capturing the human spirit. I first watched the one on Potential- sorry first watch though so I don't have all the names memorized!
But wow both are amazing! I love especially in this one how vulnerable the characters got in the end. Also I just love how you used repetition in the beginning to inspire humor. I couldn't help but roll over laughing as the guy called up to the window a second time even tho he had met the house sitter the day before.
Omg you're starting to become my favorite indie director. Please continue all your work. Love love LOVE what you are doing. :)

Yo, this is so expertly done. It's crazy that it's a cohesive story even tho it's completely improvised.

This is amazing.
It's like the lowest-stakes The Lighthouse possible, and it's way better.

Dude, I just found your channel through your amazing comedy videos, so I thought on giving a shot this movie, and I'm truly speechless, you do have a great talent in conveying emotions by this medium, film I mean. Probably you wont see it, but this is truly beautiful, thank you both for this work, cheers guys, you truly deserve the appreciation that you're getting.

You did a really good job of showing the humanity in your characters. Also your sense of pace. Really good stuff man.

You know that surrealistic feeling you get when you've just watched a really good movie in the cinema? This was that + much more. Idk what to say. I was captivated from beginning to end and left the movie feeling like I'd been transported to another reality for a while (kinda like the title lol). Brilliant, just brilliant.

I have now seen this 3 times. It's difficult for me to put into words how much this film (and all of your other ones) have touched me. My dream is to be a film maker, and you truly are one of my biggest inspirations. You probably get a lot of compliments, so let me give you some.

And the same bird sang throughout the entire film. This is true art.

there is no way this movie is entirely improvised. that's incredible, joel. this was AMAZING.

Your work is something different, has a good style and is making the viewer curious.

Hey Joel, I'll be honest, like a lot of movies I've been watching lately, I started watching this one thinking I wouldn't finish it. But this one grasped me. My life IS movies, but lately, most movies just haven't been grasping me. But this one... This one, made me feel. It made me feel emotions I really can't explain. This is a beautiful movie, and one of my favorites. Thank you.

this really hit me in a way I can't describe. this was a masterpiece and really made me think. thanks guys

God that " you're way funnier when your drunk" comment and the awkwardness after fuckin HURT