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Reviewed by Elliot V. Kotek
(from the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival)

Directed by: Dave Boyle
Written by: Dave Boyle, Joel Clark and Goh Nakamura
Starring: Goh Nakamura, Lynn Chen, Chadd Stoops, Calpernia Addams and Parry Shen

At the request of a close friend, and needing the money, singer-songwriter Goh Nakamura is charged with the task of teaching soap star Danny Turner (Chadd Stoops) to play guitar (within a week) for an upcoming role. The film follows Nakamura on the road from bar to studio and back again, playing his brand of Bay Area indie in San Fran, Seattle and L.A. while Turner falls over himself in the name of research, half-trying to learn from his reluctant teacher.

Luckily, Nakamura is in on the joke of how lame his new travel partner is and initially treats him with the contempt that the audience should also be feeling. Nakamura is a charming protagonist, only mildly socially awkward, with a laissez-faire attitude. Turner, on the other hand, is painted with the jackass brush often used for actors portraying actors. In fact, Stoops is so good at playing a bad actor that he becomes violently annoying. Still, he carries on, collars popped and thoroughly unbelievable, even as a cheesy soap actor.

One can’t help but think that if the director had actually committed to a script in which the actor character sincerely applied himself to becoming a stage poet like Nakamura, the film could have achieved a beautiful resonance. Stoops aside, there are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments, and one of Nakamura’s fans is warmly reminiscent of Kristen Schaal’s character in “Flight of the Conchords.”

Despite the warmth of its exhibition in black and white, and despite being inhabited by the very cool electric guitar and vocals of Nakamura, “Surrogate Valentine” doesn’t quite have the indelible charm of director Dave Boyle’s first film, festival favorite “Big Dreams Little Tokyo.”

Ultimately, the film is a showcase for the talents of the über-skillful Nakamura, whose popularity can only keep climbing as a result of his performance in this SXSW and Dallas International Film Festival selection. Also, the moments on film between Nakamura and his long-time crush, played by Lynn Chen (apple-pie sweet in this role), have the charisma and mood that warrant this relationship explored further. Boyle has done well to reveal these beautiful talents while both exposing and protecting Nakamura’s aura on screen.

Photo courtesy South by Southwest