The film industry, and particularly Hollywood, often tends to attract some rather unsavoury characters. They tend to be almost always men. Those working and living in Los Angeles often live in a bubble. Populated by people so wrapped up in their own little worlds that real life doesn’t always get a look in. The role of a director is a position of authority. With great power comes great responsibility and all too often self-obsession leads to reprehensible behaviour. This is a subject close to Adam Christian Clark’s heart in the semi-biographical Newly Single.
Astor Williams Stevenson (Clark) lives in Los Angeles and like many of his friends works in movies. After a recent split from his long-term girlfriend Valerie (Molly C. Quinn) he is struggling to understand why she wouldn’t want to be with him anymore. At the same time as trying to make a new film, Astor embarks on a series of dates with a string of different women. Initially fascinated by his boorish and outlandish opinions, whilst they’re sometimes up for a bit of fun they seem disinclined to start any kind of relationship. He embarks on a quest to find out why.
Written, directed and starring Adam Christian Clark, it’s fair to say that Newly Single is a labour of love. It’s also a personal act of redemption. Of a man who looks at himself through the lens of time and doesn’t like what he sees. It’s a brilliant take on narcissism and a total lack of self-awareness. Anywhere else you might mistake Astor’s obnoxiousness and horrific personality as a joke or satire but in Hollywood he’s by no means the worst person you’re likely to encounter.
Newly Single is available for purchase and rental on Amazon in the UK and on iTunes in North America.
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