In your conversations with friends about movies you will often hear more then a few say how they use it as an escape. Movies for me have always been an escape, its two hours in another time and place that takes you away from the world. While they can, it seems most movies feast on your other emotions and leaves alone anything that just makes you feel good. I didn’t know much about “Please Stand By” before going into it, but when I walked out I knew what I saw made me feel pretty good.
Wendy (Dakota Fanning) has autism, which has made it difficult for her sister Audrey (Alice Eve) to take care of her. Instead of living with her and her new family, Wendy lives in a home that caters to her needs. Wendy has a pretty normal and scheduled life where she does things like knit and working at a Cinnabon and meet with her doctor Scottie (Toni Collette) daily. Her life is pretty mundane, but it gives her the structure she needs. Wendy does have one love the trumps all others, and that is the love for classic Star Trek, in which her knowledge puts down even the most devoted fan. Her life is given new meaning when Paramount Pictures releases a contest for a Star Trek script, something she seems too perfect for. Everything is ready for the script to be sent out, which has to be in L.A. by a certain date, but as with life nothing seems to go as planned. When she realizes she won’t be able to mail it in time, Wendy decides to hand deliver it and in doing so embarking on a trip that will change her life.
With “Please Stand By” you are not getting anything complicated, I mean calling it A Girl and Her Script could really sum up the film. That though would marginalize a good film that takes you to your happy place throughout. Writer Michael Golamco delivers a wonderful story and the cast led by Fanning takes it to the place it ultimately reaches. Having a good story has its benefits and one of the bigger ones is how it can attract talent. This film is not only filled with the leads being great, but also the people who fill its world as great character actors are all around. Fanning is just plain perfect in her role of Wendy, as she plays her with a gentle touch and a commitment to her character. What starts as a grounded story morphs into a road trip movie with Fanning and a little dog that steals every scene he is in. Director Ben Lewin, who has directed documentaries takes a hands off approach and lets the world unfold in front of you instead of forcing anything. “Please Stand By” is simply put a wonderful movie. It will have you smiling, and more importantly will make you feel good about what the world can be.
