Touchy Feely (2013) - Lynn Shelton

Abby is a free-spirited individual who works as a massage therapist.  Her brother, Paul, couldn't be more different, a product of routine who runs a struggling dental practice where he depends on his emotionally-stunted daughter, Jenny, to help keep the business afloat.  Out of nowhere, a transformation begins, with all three characters going through radical changes in their day-to-day lives that will leave them changed forever.  Lynn Shelton's Touchy Feely is an ambitious, observant examination of both family and the individual which attempts to capture the delicate psychic balance associated with one's ability to be comfortable in their own skin.  Shelton is a filmmaker that isn't interested in exposition, with much of Touchy Feely challenging the viewer to keep up with the interrelationships and psychological strife.  This is a film striving for a deep examination of one's attempt to find themselves that never quite achieves it.  Shelton's film doesn't provide answers or even reasoning for some of her character's issues which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as she feels intent on providing a window into their psyches, exploring the fragility of her characters.  Lynn Shelton's Touchy Feely beautifully captures the importance of acceptance, with each character coming to understand and appreciate each others short comings, but it never full develops into a complete assertion of its thematic intentions.

---