Leave Me Like You Found Me

Emerging Visions
D: Adele Romanski; with Megan Boone, David Nordstrom

Cal (Nordstrom) recently reconciled with his ex-girlfriend, Erin (Boone). Early into a camping trip they both hope will end their yearlong hiatus, Erin says of an older couple they meet, “They were nice.” Cal replies, “Everyone is nice on vacation.” The comment feels ominous (or maybe just passive-aggressive). Either way, he’s right – especially on a picturesque day in Sequoia National Park. Moments later, lingering challenges in their relationship become evident when the two find a way to start bickering anyway. Between Erin’s questions about the year they spent apart, Cal’s indifference, and a few camping-related challenges, the odds of long-term success seem slight. A lovely and sad meditation on the inability to control love in the face of practicality, Leave Me Like You Found Me follows two people (and their flask) as they decide between two seeming impossibilities: starting over together or moving on apart.

Wednesday, March 14, 1:45pm, Alamo Lamar C

This article appears in March 16 • 2012.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US