hughman55
Anyone out there know how the writer/director of this film got this gig with no proved track record or cinematic experience? And why, after hitting a home run on his first time at bat, he's only done one other film??? You have to give it to writer/director Tommy Stovall. He pulls off the impossible: the suspension of your disbelief as this convoluted plot unfolds to it's climactic, then unresolved, ending. There is no good reason to look at this screenplay and think that there is any way to get an audience to go along with this story, and yet, it works. During the filming of "The Birds", Tippy Hedren famously told Alfred Hitchcock that it made no sense that her character would walk upstairs and open the door to a room where she would be attacked by birds, for a second time, nearly to death. Hitchcock responded, "do as I say", and everyone knows how that turned out. So, Tommy Stovall has delivered, with purpose, the tragic story of a brutal hate crime with a shocking ending that should by all standards of common sense, be unbelievable. It's not. Without spoiling the ending I will only say that what he does, he does for affect, and it works. In this film he plays out the rage, and hunger for justice, that the loved ones of murder victims feel down to their bones. He constructs the story in a way that will never play out in real life. And you don't care that it doesn't happen that way in real life. His characters just want the world to be right again. And yet, they come to realize that it never will be. And justice may not be served. Here are four reasons why this film works. First: it plays on the inevitable feelings of grief, anger, and a yearning for justice, that are so powerful and universal when someone we love, or just know, or have even only read about, is brutally and senselessly murdered. Second reason: Tommy Stovall knows how to handle the story he's written (which is as unbelievable in itself since he'd never made a movie before this one). From the camera angles, to the rhythm and pace of the whole movie, scene by scene, and frame by frame, he has the audience in the palm of his hand. If I were to tell someone the plot line of this film even I wouldn't believe the words coming out of my own mouth. But he makes it work and justifies it, with his committed and skillful directing, to the end. Third reason: the cast is brilliant (mostly). Those who aren't, are easily good enough. The power parts are written for the mother of the victim and his killer. In my opinion, Stovall, for reasons of identifiability, underplayed the role of the surviving boyfriend of the victim in favor of the role of the mother. Again, for affect. As she sees law enforcement fail her son, Cindy Picket, who plays the mother, handles the evolution from "grief stricken mother" to "mother bear", with an intensity and realism that makes you wonder if she might have actually lived this at some point in her own life. Her face is worn. Her soul is crushed. She doesn't care if she lives or dies and you believe that she is capable of anything. Bruce Davison, who's career spans over forty years, has never given a bad performance. He is, in fact, one of the most consistently effective actors, no matter the role, the film, the director, or the lack of all three. And here, he gives a terrific performance with very little screen time. At the point in the film where he growls from the his gut, "are you people insane???", you know who the crazy one is. Also effective are Seth Peterson and Brian J. Smith who play a loving, and lovable, couple about to take big steps together into their future. Their relationship is adorably normal. The tragedy that happens to them is brutal and it's senselessness is jarring. Lin Shaye gives a quirky and endearing performance as their best friend/neighbor that's good for lightening the story. That is, until it's time for her to put down the hammer. Which she does very well - using a sledge hammer by the way. In the end, a film succeeds or fails based on how it's written. A good film never comes from a bad script. And this is a challenging script. Very challenging. I'm not sure that anyone but the writer of this story could have directed it as well. All credit has to go to Tommy Stovall, his vision, and his talent as a writer/director. He was able to envision how this could work. And it does. And, about the ending (the fourth reason)... there isn't one. And that, more than anything, is it's, and Stovall's, genius.
Kasia
For such an important topic as homophobia (and, in general, any kind of fear & aggression towards a certain group of people), this movie does not have any input. In my opinion that is because it is so painfully stereotypical! The gay couple consists of two quite rich, handsome, big-hearted and loving each other madly men. Gentle, soft, sincere, helpful - all what's best in a human. What is worst in us is represented by the characters of gay-haters. They are all double-faced, buttoned-up till their necks (and I mean also the clothes they wear), always making evil faces and keeping their muscles in amazingly visible tension. Especially the preacher's son seems to me like a parody of himself. Just like in a Bollywood movie: his eyebrows look very angry, so that you don't miss, he is very angry. Add some angry music in the background and it's ready: he is very angry. Put one stereotype against another, and is becomes comic rather than dramatic. Also, the depth of a relationship between preacher and his son is lost. And it's a shame, that could bring more light to what happens. Why does suddenly a detective with a camera appear to follow the son? (BTW, the movie have few more logic gaps, e.g. no password for a computer if you want to hide something really really "nasty" and "perverted"). Despite the shallow treatment of the gay-haters topic, it is worth to see the movie for it's way of playing with silence and for it's beautiful pictures. I really thought I felt the atmosphere of that town. Beautiful and touching. Unfortunately, the way of talking about the hate-crime did not touch me. It just happened, because one side was good and the other was bad. Black & white world, just like in conservative minds.
lastliberal
Writer/director Tommy Stovall's first and only film is worth the time to watch for a very good story and some great characters.Brian J. Smith does his first film as Trey, partner of Robbie (Seth Peterson). Trey is the victim of a hate crime, presumably at the hands of the religious kook who just move in next door. Turns out this isn't his first hate crime, but no one locked him away after the last one.Cindy Pickett does an outstanding job as Trey's mother, and Bruce Davison is perfect as the pastor and the father of the kook. Granny Boone (Lin Shaye) is also present as a neighbor, and you just have to love her character.The police did not seem interested in finding the person who beat and killed Trey, so it was up to Robbie to find out what happened. Some secrets get exposed, and a killer is found and dealt with in a manner where it could be said that justice is served.
