Wildflower

The film was recommended by Netflix as part of thriller Friday... not entirely sure why.

The film gets off to a slow start and never really picks up and speed. It's starts with a random half story of the male lead which is loosely referee back to at points. All of a sudden it gets to the female lead with no introduction or back story.

It's a very safe film and somehow they manage to solve a 12 year old missing person case when we all know from cold case about the hard evidence you need before you can make any arrests.

It was all very miraculous, possibly aimed at Christian youth ministry movie nights, with plenty of moral story and no sign of ethnic minorities, no alcohol, swearing or even the faintest suggestion of sex.

Got off to a slow start and almost gave up watching. But wanted to see how story incorporated "faith based" into the plot and it was basically using the same tropes seen over and over.

I wasn't sure if this was a traditional drama almost like the old "ABC Afterschool Specials" of the 70's. But then it dove into this tension- filled, suspenseful section that almost alluded to a supernatural element to the plot (trying to not give any spoilers). So was a bit confused. I think directors/producers wanted to go for a faith-based story with more meat to it but it falls short. Actors performances lacked depth and didn't rise above material. Some of the writing was trite and very "on the nose" - a screen writing no-no.

BUT good points: well shot. Good cinematography and liked small town America location.

I enjoyed this movie. It had a good storyline and ending.

First things first, Wildflower is a good movie that has fallen victim to misrepresentation. As some of the other reviews have indicated, this movie has been mislabeled under the thriller category on netflix. Once you get past that, you will see that this isn't a thriller that missed it's mark, but rather it's a faith based drama that is well directed with some great cinematography.

I really liked this movie. The main character has some voice over narration which is a bit made-for-TV, but there is also a strong undercurrent of tension which is what really pulled me in. Faith and God are strong themes here, but not so much that it detracts from the story if that's not your cup of tea. It also deals with strong mental illness themes, especially in the realm of trusting your own mind (or not).

It seems at times like the movie can't decide if it's a thriller or a made-for-TV drama. It's quite tense, but there are odd moments that are a bit cheesy. All the same I enjoyed it.