
Reviews
Authored By Chris Jones, Founder of Overly Honest Film Reviews
A gut-punch of a film for which I was not prepared. The words emotionally charged barely cover it; we are met with moments that give us little else than sorrow. The battle of what to do with yourself when “yourself” is lost is a question that the lead actor in this film battles with from the start, without even knowing it. There was so much to this film; nearly six of the twenty minutes run time takes place between two people in a bed. It establishes so much in that time. There were so many simple back and forths that create the overall tension that we feel throughout this picture.
The turbulent fallout that Kelley Lockman (writer, director, and star of this film) shows on screen makes you connect with him in a way that many have tried and failed. The film’s ending is spectacular, as it crosses a finish line that I was not expecting. It ultimately gives the viewers a feeling that things have come full circle. Thankfully though, it manages to leave enough open to the point that lets you write the ending you want yourself. The film has a relatively small cast that fits their roles perfectly. It is not every day that a twenty minute movie can have such an impact on you.
Authored By Billy Disaster at BillyDisaster.com
Juror for Art is Alive Film Festival
We all deal with losing a loved one at some point in our lives. And we all need to go through that period of emotion that follows. Sadness, anger, loneliness, fear, repeat. And then (as so many people will annoyingly tell you) it becomes easier over time. That’s what this flick is about.
It’s the middle of the night and Zach (Lockman) and Beth (Hamilton) are in bed sharing some of Beth’s last moments of her life together. She has cancer, but she also has Zach, who is very much in love with her. She seems to have found peace and is quite appreciative of her companionship with Zach. But then he leaves for a moment and she is now alone with just her thoughts. The tears begin to well up in her eyes and her expression shows the true fear that she doesn’t want to seem to burden Zach with. It’s a powerful moment.
After she dies, Zach goes through his grief in some of the darkest possible ways. He has kind of given up and finds himself in a spiral of depression, self medication and isolation. Luckily he has that one friend, that hopefully everyone has (Charlton Hoag), that wants to help by taking him camping to get him out of his funk.
Without telling you the WHOLE story, we get to see Zach at the back end of his recovery and it feels really good. And that is what is so great about this flick. I really felt the loss of Beth, and the intensity of Zach’s despair was something that I had to recover from myself.
The reason that all of this was so effective was the artistry and craft that went into making this film. The occasional focus on the ceramic statue that represented the love of Zach and Beth, the cinematography that (for me) represented the hope beyond despair and the attention to nature, were all so very effective. All of the performances were terrific and it’s easy to see why this won Best Actor. 5 Clapperboards for Sunset In Winter!