When I heard that 25-year-old, Cooper Raiff, wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the quirky, indie film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, I had low expectations. I remembered suffering through two ponderous movies where Clint Eastwood and Denzell Washington directed their own acting. In both cases, the camera lingered much too long on each man and each film could have used some major editing.

            I needn’t have worried. Although Raiff’s character, Andrew, did appear in most, if not all, of the scenes, the pacing felt brisk and the story moved right along.

            The film is about a jobless, recent college grad whose Fulbright scholar girlfriend has just left to study in Barcelona. Her last words to him are, “Really, Andrew, what are you going to do?”

            That question turns out to be the theme of the rest of the movie. Andrews winds up back in New Jersey at his stepfather’s house, sharing a tiny bedroom with his 12-year-old-brother, David. He lands a job at Meat Sticks, selling hot dogs, asking this question all day, “You want chili on that?”

            His career path veers in a new direction when he chaperones David at a bar mitzvah. After Andrew uses his considerable social skills to encourage a group of awkward teens to start dancing, he’s mobbed by a group of Jewish moms who hire him to be the party starter at subsequent bar mitzvahs. At that same bar mitzvah, meets Domino, a single mom, and her daughter, Lola, who is on the spectrum.

            After reading all the above, you might think that you can predict the direction of the tale. However, the plot is refreshingly non-formulaic, which I loved. The main characters stay true to themselves but at the same time present the viewer with many surprises. Raiff creates a splendid emotional landscape; the interactions between the characters are both nuanced and meaningful, serving to advance the story in a light-handed way. I especially liked the poignant onscreen chemistry between Andrew and each of the main characters: Lola, Domino and David.

            Near the end, the story does get lost in the weeds a bit, but not for long. Overall, this movie is an upbeat gem and a pleasant way to spend an evening.