Rising music star Layne heads home to Nashville for New Year’s Eve to break her writer’s block, but sometimes you find inspiration – and love – where you least expect it.

I Hate New Year’s is available On-Demand everywhere Dec. 4th.

Our film begins with an introduction to Layne Price (Dia Frampton) singing on the stage, and as we transition from the stage to the car, we start to understand that Layne is struggling right now and off to see a medium. Layne, who is skeptical of the experience, is delighted by the crazy but yet weird interaction.

As we transition to Nashville, we meet up with Cassie (Ashley Argota), who we find out is ready to tell Layne that she is in love with her. But, it’s incredibly awkward, and as she is trying to confront her, Layne is not making it easy on her.

Next, Cassie and Layne go out on the town, and Cassie gets on the stage to do some karaoke, but she begins to sing that song Layne is tired of hearing and playing (but it’s also the one that made her big.) The banter between these two after is the film’s heartbeat for me, the relationship between the two oozes chemistry because while they have a fantastic friendship, Cassie isn’t afraid to call Layne out on her stuff.

Furthermore, Ashley Argota is extremely sincere, moving, and her portrayal of Layne is fantastic. Typically in these roles, they can come off unrelatable, which turns you off the character, but this was the opposite. You have a rooting interest, and a lot of that has to do with Argota acting.

In comparison to typical love stories, this is somewhat cut and dry. One person struggles as she is in love with her best friend, and she watches her friend go down this path of finding love without even looking her way. Throughout the film, hints are placed on the idea of what we want to see, but obstacles always are placed in the way, which leads us to the culmination of what is somewhat predictable.

Thus with the predictability, the writers and director do get creative within the story. Representation matters and the story features a star singer who is gay and openly gay, and it brings this unique approach to a story that has been told a million times. It makes these feelings normal and poetically tells the story of love and how LOVE IS LOVE, no matter who you are. More stories of this nature will inspire people across the world to understand that their story matters too.

In conclusion, the story is filled with hope, heart, and inspiration, not just in the nature of relationships but in finding that time within when we are struggling to write that next song, write that next story, or even take the next step.

The Verdict

I Hate New Year’s is a beautiful journey that shares Love is Love.