Two Night Stand

The directorial debut of the late Mike Nichols's son Max, this indie romantic comedy almost gets by on the charms of its talented leads, Miles Teller (Whiplash) and Analeigh Tipton; sadly, they are ultimately undone by a script that is just a little too contrived for its own good. It's essentially a two-hander: down-in-the-dumps Tipton hooks up with Teller for a one-night stand via a dating site, but when she tries to leave the following morning, she discovers that a freak snowstorm means they will be trapped in his apartment for another night. With most of the action constrained to one set, the film was always going to stand or fall on the strength of the writing. But while there is plenty of rude banter and are a few good laughs, Mark Hammer's script is neither witty nor insightful enough to carry the load.