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DINA: 3 ½ STARS. “a fascinating character study that looks at romance and intimacy.”

You will be amazed at the level of intimacy the filmmakers behind “Dina” are able to achieve. The story of a middle-aged woman preparing to marry her boyfriend benefits from the level of access awarded to the directors but is deepened by the fact that the bride and groom are on the autism spectrum.

This cinéma vérité doc follows Dina Buno and Scott Levin. She is a 48-year-old widow with Asperger’s, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, who has lived on her own for decades. He also has Asperger syndrome, and is a security guard at Walmart who loves singing and still lives at home. We witness their courtship as they get to know one another on a day trip to a New Jersey boardwalk and navigate through complicated feelings regarding his disinterest in sex—she gives him a copy of “The Joy of Sex” to help fire his imagination and encourages foot rubs—and their future life together. A revelation regarding Dina’s traumatic past sheds light on her hypersensitive temperament.

“Dina” is an up-close-and-personal look at this couple. Co-director Daniel Sickles (with Antonio Santini) is a family friend, which could explain the level of informality we see on screen. Whatever the reason, “Dina” offers a fascinating character study that looks at romance and how intimacy blossoms for these two.

Sickles and Santini are flies on the wall, uninvolved in the story and as such allow the story to play, warts and all. After the end credits roll there may or may not be a happy ending for Dina and Scott and no effort is made to suggest a fairy tale ending. “Dina” is simply a heartfelt look at two people facing and hopefully overcoming considerable problems.


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