2 in the Bush: A Love Story

2 in the Bush: A Love Story is a comedy about millennial hipsters encountering pretty minor problems. This also happens to be a description that would fit my current screenplay project. It is very possible I am projecting my own concerns about the quality of my script onto this movie. But that does not mean I’m seeing problems that aren’t there. It just means I’m taking them more personally. 2 in the Bush has a lot of problems. Personal project or no, I would not give this a movie a positive review.

2 in the Bush follows the lows but mostly highs of bisexual 20-something Emily. Emily works as a personal assistant, though her dream is to make documentaries. In the first act, she hits her lowest point when her girlfriend breaks up with her, kicks her out and she loses her job. Luckily, her friend and temporary roommate, Rosa finds a job for her. So, Emily begins working as a personal assistant for Nikki, a dominatrix. Obviously, Emily has attraction to Nikki. But Emily also meets Ben and she likes him too. Briefly torn about which to pursue, Emily learns Ben and Nikki are in a relationship and both want to date her. Initially, this freaks her out. But, she explores her other options and boundaries and decides to try a bisexual poly relationship with Nikki and Ben.

The stereotype about millennials is that they are entitled and don’t actually work for what they believe they deserve. 2 in the Bush does nothing to dissuade this belief. Emily is a deeply selfish protagonist. The film doesn’t seem aware of this because she doesn’t address this flaw and grow through the film. Emily is also a pretty passive protagonist. Almost everything is given to her by someone else. Rosa finds her the job with Nikki. Nikki pursues her romantically. Ben gives her a camera to start work on her documentary again. Said documentary is apparently good enough a woman walks up and just gives her an offer out of no where. Emily doesn’t work hard for much in this film, yet succeeds anyway.

But hey, this isn’t a character piece, it’s a love story! It says so right in the title! Except nothing this movie showed lead me to believe this relationship is love. Emily, ben and Nikki’s relationship looks fun, sure. But love? Hardly. In the third act, Emily freaks out and breaks up with them out of insecurity. Later, Nikki and Ben come to her documentary screening. They immediately reconcile. They’ve even brought a key to an apartment where the three can live together. That seems a bit fast for people who were broken up until three minutes ago. The film ends with Ben and Nikki making declarations that don’t ring true. They say that living together never felt “right” before Emily. They also say that without Emily there is no “them.” Doubt. Nikki and Ben were together before Emily and I don’t believe that relationship would fall apart without her.

The best part of the film is that it’s sex positive. The lead character is bisexual. Ben and Nikki have a healthy, open relationship while Nikki works as a dominatrix. At one point, Emily goes on a series of dates including one with a trans woman. Emily’s documentary short is about sex work and the validity thereof. Cool. It’s a good message to have. I wish it was incorporated more into the narrative. Characters will stop the plot and give a monologue about sex positive relationships. The film stops dead to screen Emily’s sex worker-positive documentary to rave reviews. The sex positive aspect is trying too hard to make itself known. It feels tacked on top instead of mixed into the narrative and feeling natural.

I didn’t like 2 in the Bush: A Love Story. I thought it gave millennials a bad name. Emily has no real problems in the film and does little herself to get what she wants. The biggest sin of all though, is that it’s not funny. A story and character like this needs comedy. There are too few successful jokes in the film. So what we’re left with is an admittedly sex positive film about a selfish 20-something with no real problems and a relationship that doesn’t seem deep enough to qualify as a love story.

Overall rating: 3.8/10

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