In Spite of Ourselves presents itself as a heartfelt romantic dramedy about two people navigating love while confronting personal fears. The story follows Archie (Brett Dier), an aspiring comedian from Los Angeles, and Hannah (Conor Leslie), a warm but guarded baker living in Portland. Their connection begins with an intense romance that feels spontaneous and exciting. However, once they return to their separate cities, the reality of distance and unresolved personal issues begins to strain their relationship. The film’s central idea that love may come easily, but relationships need more work, serves as the film’s foundation.
Much of the film’s emotional weight comes from the characters’ individual struggles. Archie is dealing with the decline of his father, Frank, who suffers from dementia. Archie’s refusal to medicate him, despite the aggression the condition causes, reflects both denial and fear of losing what remains of their relationship. Meanwhile, Hannah faces her own health challenge: she’s gradually losing hearing in her right ear but resists surgery due to the risk involved. Both characters are defined by avoidance, and the movie frames their romance as a collision of two people unwilling to confront difficult decisions.
Hannah’s dream of opening her own restaurant serves as a powerful metaphor for her desire for independence. With two roommates and an overrated chef for a coworker, it was about time she broke off into her own. Archie’s tendency for self-sabotage eventually erodes after his father’s death. Both characters suffer from poor communication, and stacked on top of avoidance and fear, they’re both (to Hannah’s own admittance) extremely messy.
The supporting characters add occasional color to the film. Chef Jake (Ethan Ingle), Hannah’s colleague, hints at the professional world Hannah might pursue if she embraced her ambitions, while Archie’s friends provide light comedic moments. One memorable line, “It’s Portland. It’s mushroom chocolate,” delivered by Archie’s friend Sam (Alyssa Limperis), captures the quirky tone the film sometimes leans into.
The film’s emotional climax arrives when Frank eventually passes away, and Hannah ultimately calls off her relationship with Archie. With light humor that often falls flat, Frank’s character is saved when he arrives at the nursing home to see his father. The pain, emotion, and weight can be felt in the short time he’s seen, lamenting over his loss (by far Dier’s best performance). An unconventional ending felt right for an unconventional story. The two needed self-love, and that needed to happen separately.
In Spite of Ourselves gets an 8 out of 10. It’s hard enough to manage a relationship in person, let alone at a distance. Add on the weighted emotional drama, and you get two people who never had a chance. At times, the film felt slow and disjointed, but not to the point of complete ruin. One detail that worked in its favor, a sort of unsung attribute, was the soundtrack. The film’s score played like a “best of” playlist of indie artists that truly pushed the tone. The film is currently playing at the 2026 CINEQUEST Film & Creativity Festival.
SCHEDULE:
Thursday, March 12 @ 7:15 PM at the California Theatre — San Jose (World Premiere)
Monday, March 16 @ 4:50 PM at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (Screen 2) — Mountain View
Jon Jones
Category: Romantic Comedy
Country: USA
Director: Josh Loeb
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Trailer: N/A
U.S. Release Date: March 12, 2026