Ms. White Light

Ms. White Light is a very black comedy where a father and daughter team run a business, "Mortality Solutions". She is Lex, a young woman who counsels terminally ill clients that are having trouble letting go. She delivers bereavement services in a novel way. She has a gift with the dying, though not the survivors or anyone else in the world.

Lex is a great and loveable off-beat character but her Dad is fully supportive of his daughter and he appreciates her talents in the business. Unfortunately Lex is really looking for a man at the same time as she tries to exit her role at 'Mortality Solutions'.

These are wonderful characters that could have been played by Steve Martin as the father and a young Frances McDormand as Lex, but they wouldn't be any better. Writer director Paul Shulberg has created a dazzling set-up, and his story of Ms White Light Is philosophical, romantic and complex. It is a fine example of enchanting independent film making and is further enhanced by a charming soundtrack including standouts Leave You- Midnight Sister, Sad Song - Richard Swift (and another) and Smoke Signals - Phoebe Bridges.

Great performance by all the actors. The movie could easily be performed as a play with its stark scenery and well paced conversation.

Lex helps the dying in ways family members cannot. Family members give them pablum and lies. Lex tells them what will happen and doesn't pretend it's going to get better. She treats them as people at a time when no one else does.

Compassion comes with a price, and Lex is exhausted from paying it. What she needs is to want to live as much as her dying patients do.

This is a warm-hearted small film with a big message about grief and renewal. It is carried by Roberta Colindrez (the bright spot in "I Love Dick"), who knows how to show both Lex's sardonic exterior and her breaking heart.

I liked it.

Lex Cordova (Roberta Colindrez) works for and lives with her father to counsel the dying in their last days. She's sardonic and bitter. Somehow, her darkness allows her to connect with her clients and work through their fears. Nora and Val (Judith Light) are two of her clients.

Colindrez is playing the character wrong. At first, I thought the character is autistic. They need to get rid of the cards. She's studying them like she's autistic or suffering from OCD. It would be better if she has memorized them from her father. She's smart enough to do that. The point is that her character is too blunt to speak normally with normal people. That's the angle. She is too blunt to live.

The dying would prefer to talk bluntly especially about their fears. That's the reciprocating angle. She can still be sardonic and bitter. Her performance is off slightly and it throws the movie off-kilter. One can see the best version of this movie seemingly just out of reach. It needs some small calibrations. There is great humor going with both Nora and Val. The dad needs to chill a little. I totally get where Spencer is coming from but that ain't happening in a million years. For that to happen, we need another actress.

All of the cast members were unknown to me, but the story was unique. Acting was outstanding.

I find it hard to sum up my reasons for liking it...not particularly uplifting. Not a typical feel good movie either, but overall I just found it worthy of praise, especially near the end , when Lex makes a joke that changes the entire mood of a grieving couple.