Writer/director Lance Daly described his film Kisses as a story about “how to escape if you can’t escape”. More specifically, it’s about two kids who run away from home and spend a “night of magic and terror on the streets of inner-city Dublin.” Sprinkled with realistic improvisational moments, Kisses is Lost in Translation but with two irish 10-year-olds.

Daly cleverly uses the saturation and desaturation of color from the frame to visually convey the children’s emotions. A woman on the gondola ride home, also aptly compared the use of the technique with The Wizard of Oz. And I think many comparisons could be made between both of these stories.

Kelly O’Neill, who plays Kylie in the film, is incredibly natural and has the charisma of a young Drew Barrymore. If it weren’t for her accent, I would predict a huge career for her in American film. Kisses is a sweet and wonderful indie. The film earns your admiration even though it can be unbelievable (the boat sequence) and self indulgent at moments (one too many minute long close-ups of the young leads homeless on the streets of Dublin). And at only 72-minutes in length, it leaves you wanting more.

/Film Rating: 7.5 out of 10