Safelight

A bland and unremarkable tale of sad souls and dead-end circumstances from first-time feature director Tony Aloupis.

To write off "Safelight" as just another generic romantic teen drama about wounded souls who find healing in each other's arms wouldn't do justice to its baffling ineptitude.

Uneven would be a kind word for "Safelight."

First-time filmmaker Tony Aloupis, formerly frontman of the New Jersey rock band Shadows of Dreams, serves up Americana like a stale slice of apple pie.

Everything in writer-director Tony Aloupis' "Safelight" feels telegraphed.

Does the world really need another indie film about lost souls living quiet lives of desperation in a heaven-forsaken one-horse town?

So-so indie drama has mature themes, cursing.

The scenery might make for a pleasant travelogue if only the screenplay took any risks or showcased any surprises between its bookend confrontations.

I hope Temple finds a way to stick around until such time as she figures out where she fits in best and what she's best at. When that happens, she is gonna lay waste.

Given that we've seen this story before and didn't like it then, Safelight should perhaps just be called "safe".