By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
The city of Sacramento is enjoying its moment in the cinematic spotlight, with a growing list of productions choosing California's "Farm-to-Fork" capital as their backdrop.
The latest movie rolling into theaters is the aptly titled road-trip buddy comedy
"Sacramento" from director
Michael Angarano ("Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1") who also stars in the film that he co-wrote with
Christopher Nicholas Smith (TV's "Curb Your Enthusiasm").
"Sacramento" follows two longtime friends, Glenn (Michael Cera) and Rickey (Michael Angarano), who spontaneously hit the road from Los Angeles to Sacramento, embarking on a trip packed with quirky run-ins, emotional curveballs, and plenty of awkwardly endearing moments.
Cera leans into his signature neurotic charm, while Angarano injects the film with an unpredictable mix of zaniness and heartfelt depth. Their on-screen chemistry may waver at times, but the film's offbeat tone and emotional undercurrents help it ultimately find its groove.
The trip kicks off when Rickey shows up unannounced at Glenn's front door, clearly in crisis. Glenn, now older, wiser, and very much settled into domestic life, immediately senses that something is off. So does his pregnant wife, Rosie (a quietly compelling but underutilized Kristen Stewart, "Love Lies Bleeding").
Glenn has embraced adulthood--responsibility, routine, stability. Rickey, on the other hand, is still wrestling with issues he's not quite ready to face.
While Glenn tries to be supportive, it's clear their lives have diverged in ways that make true reconnection complicated. As their road trip winds through California, the pair confront unresolved tensions and the bittersweet reality of growing apart--even when love and loyalty still linger beneath the surface.
"Sacramento" struggles with a bare-bones script that leaves its characters feeling underdeveloped and its dialogue occasionally stilted. With more layered writing, the film could have left a more pronounced impact to match its promising premise.
Still, there are some laugh out loud moments to enjoy here. More than anything and beyond the laughs, "Sacramento" is a love letter to friendship--and to the city itself.
Local landmarks like The Tower Bridge, Dive Bar, West Sacramento's Ziggurat building, Gunther's Ice Cream, the R Street Corridor, and other hidden gems in downtown and East Sacramento make more than just background appearances. They become part of the story's texture.
In an era dominated by big-budget blockbusters, "Sacramento" delivers something refreshingly grounded and relatable. It's a story about reconnection, acceptance, and finding hope among life's messy, unexpected detours.
And for a city that often flies under Hollywood's radar, it's a welcome treat for audiences to see Sacramento's unique charm captured once again on the big screen.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"SACRAMENTO"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
