Grace and the Storm

After watching the film on DVD, I can't help but think how interesting the premise is and how I'd love to see this premise done on a much larger budget. I think some changes need to be made to the script, especially in ACT 1, but my attention was kept even though the film doesn't have the production touches that a bigger budget would allow for.

The acting isn't smooth in every scene, but the main character is good in spots. I also think the woman he loves did a very strong job.

I think the writer/director shows signs of talent, but I hope he sees this scripts shortcomings and gets rid of them in his next film by giving depth to every character and making sure the dialogue is tight.

This movie has a great concept, differentiating itself from other movies in the genre. Grace is known as a mythical drug, that is all but impossible to ever find. The capabilities of the drug are that of an increased level of consciousness within the human brain as never before. That is a great concept, and it is really interesting when Grace finally makes it's presence felt. The screen writing and direction of the film falls short however. The actors are amateurs, but I felt the main character delivered a worthy performance given the script to work with. The film obviously was made with a very low budget, but the idea is quite intriguing. This film still has potential if remade with a much larger budget, including some of the industry's highest talent of course. Overall 6 out of 10, not bad in any way, and the ending will add to the intrigue of the concept drug known as Grace.

Grace and the Storm is the story of one drug dealer racing for an escape from the New York City underground. His chance comes in the form of the legendary "Grace", a mysterious new drug that everybody wants and nobody has. The drug dealer's hard-boiled street adventures are balanced nicely with a bittersweet subplot concerning his ex-girlfriend, whom he watches over from time to time like a guardian angel. The story unfolds slowly but builds momentum after the intense "lab rat" scene, after which every new twist and turn seems to raise the stakes for Pipe. For the final half-hour, the audience is plunged into the high-stakes deal with the hero, and we can truly feel his desperation as the clock ticks. Writer-director Christopher Baldi (who also cameos towards the end) has a confident storytelling style that never relies on cheap effects or fast-paced editing tricks.

Christopher Amitrano plays Evan Piper, a big-city drug dealer who is approached by an old friend pushing a legendary drug called "GRACE." With the discovery of the GRACE comes a chance to retire from his dangerous line of work forever. The history of this amazing drug is very interesting, and it sets up a great backstory before the real plot even begins to twist and turn. Pipe is a great character, he's smart and charismatic but also believable as a criminal. KC Armstrong, who most people know as one of Howard Stern's regulars, actually rises above his image and delivers an extremely credible performance. The real star of the film might be Ashley Yeater- she's beautiful and heartbreaking as Pipe's ex-girlfriend. Every scene she has with Pipe is memorable. As soon as the end credits rolled I wanted to see this film again! There are some huge twists that are fore-shadowed well, but I had no idea what to expect. 10/10

I'd like to make a comment about the man who made this movie. If his first feature is this good, just how good is his next one going to be? Grace and the Storm honestly blew me away. I couldn't believe it when I first saw it.

It's one of those movies that you can't stop talking about and you want to go see again and again. Everything ties in brilliantly. There is a multitude of levels to this movie that really keep you thinking. The characters are wonderful and you just want to keep watching them.

The best thing about it is this isn't your average drug movie. It's a tender drug movie with heart. Don't get me wrong. It does have its share of good fight scenes and heart-pounding, head-throbbing suspense; however, you get into the characters to the point where you really care about them a great deal. They are the main focus, not the drug. To me, the movie is not about the drug. It is about the struggle of a dealer who somehow is wrapped up in a life he feels he doesn't belong in and is looking for a way out so he can just enjoy the fruits of his labor. At the same time, there are many missions from other characters which add to the levels in this story.

I'll leave it at that and let you see the rest for yourself. All I have to say is that you're a fool if you don't see Grace and the Storm.