Men Named Milo was a very intelligent film, full of subtle wit and humor. Instead of telling the viewer a complete story, from start to finish, it allows room for your own assumptions and imagination. Lines are spoken, and instantly, questions arise in your mind. Whatever assumptions you make and experiences you bring to the movie start you on a path much like the Choose Your Own Adventure Stories I remember reading as a child. Characters are brought to life as real people, not just flat archetypes off the pages of an English class in high school. Nothing shown is really expected, and it's presence in the movie is thoughtful and deliberate, guiding you to fill in the blanks. The acting is excellent, and the expressions on Jeremy Sisto and Devon Gummersall's faces are hilarious. Each time you view it, you catch something you didn't before. The humor is subtle throughout most of the movie, weaving itself into serious situations. For example, Deke Masters has come to pick up his date, Emily. Instead, he finds himself stood up, and offered her sister, Barri, as a replacement. In an awkward meeting, she tells him "we" have been expecting you, not "she." It almost seems like the family had intended to switch daughters on this poor guy. The fact that their own father would even suggest having sex with his daughter as she slept is disturbingly funny as well. The whole time Deke Masters sits in Jackie Noodleman's house, you begin to wonder why he doesn't leave, and if Jackie's constant references to being more than friends is intended to include sexual relations or not. At their introduction, you have to also wonder if the questions he asks are usual questions of people he meets, and what his attachment to them really means. Every line out of the actors' mouthes seems to be very insightful of human nature. Their relationships are created to reflect the complexity of those we experience in our own lives. I loved this movie immensely for the questions it left me with afterwards, as much as the story shown on the screen. Overall, I would recommend it very highly to anyone and everyone I know.
