The Farmhand

Acting, screenplay, script....all terrible. Painful to watch. Who is writing these reviews?

The Farmhand is a well-executed indie period drama set in 1920s South Carolina. I was lured in by the film's festival accolades on the poster and The Farmhand proved worthy of its recognition. The plot is interesting and complex, with obstacles on all sides of the lead character Grayson, whether that's a kingpin, sheriff, or a complicated relationship. It really makes for a nice build to the climax of the film. The Farmhand breezes by and is certainly worth your time at a brisk 42 minutes. It's nice to have an opportunity to find independent films like these.

Shot in the pastoral Midlands of South Carolina, the engrossing period piece "The Farmhand" takes us back to Prohibition and the paradoxical lawlessness it created.

Grayson Livingston (Russell Shealy) is an assassin retained by a bootlegger to eliminate the business bottleneck that is Sheriff Henry Lloyd (Stephen Royal Phillips). Yet a critical mistake by Grayson soon finds him in the role of fleeing fugitive. Finding shelter on a nearby farm, he's put to work as a farmhand, leading to a dangerous romantic relationship with the farm owner's wife Constance (Carrie Anne Hunt), and all while Sheriff Lloyd continues his pursuit.

This is a beautifully shot film that literally and figuratively covers a lot of ground. "The Farmhand" appears to have been a film festival circuit darling, and on the basis of its committed actor performances, beautiful location work, and a shrewdly conceived script, it's easy to see why. Highly recommended. - (Was this review of use to you? If so, let me know by clicking "Helpful." Cheers!)

Having the distinct flavor of Southern farm life in the 1920's this drama would benefit from a tighter script.

This independent short is certainly a quality piece of work, but there are some caveats. Though the cinematography is decent, things like production design, wardrobe, and props are a bit hampered by the restrictive budget. It was certainly a feat to create a period based, budget conscious indie short, but the film falters a bit under the strain of it with some set, wardrobe, and prop nuances not entirely matching the period.

The acting for the most part was acceptable, but would have benefited from further editing. Though I enjoy period films, this grew long in the tooth at 42 minutes. There's simply not enough substance to command such a run time. The sound was another spot that could have used some work... there's wind noise and rumble from the mic when outdoors in spots. One last point, the heavy handed approach to the material made some of this feel long winded. If there were more humor, whimsy, fun or action, that 42 minutes wouldn't have seemed so long.

The directors were ambitious and show promise in future endeavors, I'm looking forward to seeing them grow and create more material. Having stuck the credits out, I can see they are both very talented and have their fingerprints all over this project. Here's to hoping their next budget can get them into the roles they are best at instead of forcing them to exhaust their efforts.