Perhaps you remember those ads a few months back about something called The Neverything. I know I sort of do. They featured a writer who was struggling to finish her book because she was convinced that one of her characters knew she was writing about them. But what I remember best about them is that these short films were also used as car commercials, which always made me a little upset that what otherwise looked like a promising film was really just a way of selling cars. That is until I found out that the short film that was turned into a car commercial had been turned into a feature length film.

Marian (Carrie Preston) is struggling to overcome writer’s block. So when she consults with her mentor Jackson (Austin Pendleton) on how to rectify this, he comes up with the suggestion that she should kill off one of her characters. And while Marian initially balks at such an idea, when she eventually acquiesces it sets off a chain of events that leave her struggling not only to finish her book, but on the brink of insanity.

The concept of an author’s creation coming to life certainly isn’t a new idea, this same concept was examined in Stranger Than Fiction, but while that film is an enjoyable and engaging film, it certainly never appeared to have much below the surface of its striking concept. And what with this seemingly being a retread idea as well as having the appearance of being a thinly veiled marketing gimmick, I didn’t enter into this film with the highest of expectations, though even if I did, I’m quite positive the film would have exceeded any I might have claimed to have.

Yet in spite of my initial misgivings, Lovely by Surprise took little time to drawn me into its tale. With well rounded characters in interesting situations fighting seemingly impossible odds, it was as if every childhood fantasy tale of my youth had been woven into one singular cinematic narrative. And as each mystery is solved, and each layer pulled back, what is revealed is far greater then I could have dreamed of.

With its seemingly split story arcs, one focusing on Marian and her struggles to write the story of the brothers Humkin (Michael Chernus) and Mopekey (Dallas Roberts) and another on a car salesman named Bob (Reg Rogers) who is struggling to raise his 6-year-old daughter Mimi (Lena Lamer) after the loss of his wife, Lovely by Surprise is entangled in a very delicate narrative that should seemingly fall apart at any moment, yet manages to flourish again and again. The viewer is left trying to not only empathize with these characters, but discover just what everything means and how it is interconnected. But time and again the tale is revealed in a digestible manner, allowing each new twist and reveal to slide down as easily as drinking a glass of milk. And while the film is easy to take in, digesting it will take time and effort, and offers a host of things worth chewing on.

What is perhaps most shocking is that this is the first feature from writer/director Kirt Gunn. As much as the complicated story is so easily told the film has an often stunning look to it as well. Using negative space to full effect, Gunn has turned Lovely by Surprise into a literary and visual experience that is a feast for your senses. From men running around in their underwear, to long static shots of cornfields filled with houseboats, Lovely by Surprise is a downright visual treat that deftly compliments the at times bizarre storyline in a manner that is both stimulating and pleasing while never pandering.

Lovely by Surprise is a quirky tale to be sure, one particular scene involving Bob attempting to sell cars to a man only wanting hot dogs should fail yet instead turns into a truly marvelous experience, but the quirk that is inherent of the story is not there simply to sell soundtracks or infer greater meaning on otherwise flat characters, but rather it is the heart and soul of the film. It is what breaths life into every dismal nook and cranny of this film, as the people inside it desperately cling to anything to help keep them going. These people aren’t caricatures, they are living breathing beings, and if you don’t treat them with respect, their anima might just spill out into the theatre and show you otherwise.

Lovely By Surprise will be available via download and DVD (including Netflix) on July 7. You can find more details at www.lovelybysurprise.com.