This Is Where We Live

An in depth look at a family with deep issues involving a member with cerebral palsy. Marc Menchaca and CK McFarland perform well.

I didn't expect much from a free film on youtube. Not only were all the actors simply amazing, it was human at its deepest level.

One review here tells of 'too many subplots'... I think they were watching something else. There are character stories that blend and converge to create a story of love and humility, of human fragility and tenderness and of struggle and greatness.

If you think it's going to be hard watching a movie about a character that has cerebral palsy, this gem is not difficult and neither is it trashy or sentimental and made for a quick grab audience, like so many movies made about people who live with disabilities.

Beautiful.

This movie relies mainly on body language and facial expression to project emotion and feeling. There is very little dialog, and what little there is seems to be improvised. There are two many stories interwoven in the main theme, and this proves distracting rather than contributory. If the story were better told, this could have been on equal footing with "Trip to Bountiful". Unfortunately, it dropped the ball with a sometimes too muddled story and sub-plots, each with a competing end point!

The only name i recognize here is barry corbin, from northern exposure. an appearance near the end. Young August has cerebral palsy. Mom... Diane, played by CK McFarland, is trying to look after him, as well as her own husband Bob ( Ron Hayden), who has Alzheimers. a lot going on. The family has hired handy man Noah (Marc Menchaca) to build a ramp for the wheelchair. but he can use extra money, and the family could use some extra help. story is a little uneven. some editing issues. clearly its a lesson in treating everyone with respect and humanity. a couple examples where Noah isn't treating August with respect, or doesn't ask what he wants. good overall. Story by Marc Menchaca. directed by Menchaca and Josh Barrett. it's okay. a little right on the nose. a little like a hallmark movie.

I saw this film as part of the St. Louis Film Festival in November 2013 and was, in short, blown away. The acting, direction, cinematography, and screenplay were all truly outstanding. The film combines a gritty, naturalism with an underlying hopefulness that gives meaning to the brutal losses and challenges faced by each of the characters. I found myself literally sobbing at various points in the film but I left the theater feeling both inspired and challenged by the essential story the film conveys of ordinary characters who find it in themselves to love and care for one another in the most trying of circumstances. This is a must see film by a first-time co- director who, incidentally, stars as the handyman Noah, who transforms and is transformed by the Sutton family. In particular I appreciated the way in which the exposition and trajectory of each character were conveyed through subtle suggestion rather than bludgeoning detail. Some key narrative details that would have answered the "how did that happen" question were withheld in ways that enhanced rather than detracted from the richness of the film. This kind of narrative restraint is typical of the very best screen writing and characterization. I can't wait to see what this film maker will do next!