Harmony And Me

After his girlfriend dumps him, Harmony — a talkative, stubbornly heartbroken young songwriter — refuses to move on, wearing her photo in a locket and unloading the same sad story on anyone who will listen. Austin indie auteur Bob Byington’s deadpan, low-budget comedy follows this professional dumpee through piano lessons, awkward family gatherings, a regrettable one-night stand, and the everyday company of his equally oddball friends, turning post-breakup misery into dry, precisely written laughs. Byington, a fixture of the Austin scene known for his sharp, unsentimental comedies, casts Bishop Allen frontman Justin Rice in the lead; the musician’s shaggy presence and real-life songwriting give the film its offbeat charm. Premiered at MoMA’s New Directors/New Films, this 75-minute slacker gem is a wry little portrait of a guy who would rather stay heartbroken than get better.