The wonderfully understated "Aquarians" evokes tragedy to pave its difficult road to redemptive familial reconciliation, and deftly leverages faith as the prevailing connective tissue between its expertly conceived storytelling elements.
"Aquarians" has a resounding Wisconsinness to it; a beautifully icy tonality and a chilly serenity very intentionally put into play to provide the deceptive impression of plainness. Yet this film is anything but plain, as its initial use of atmospherics belies its masterfully intricate nuances in character construction. Daniel (Chandler Massey) is the proverbial good son, returning home as deacon of his long-standing family church. Jacob (Shane Coffey) is Daniel's visceral counterpoint; a self-imposed isolationist buried deep in the rural wilds. Their disparate makeups put them at odds, yet a consuming shared tragedy tears at the foundations of both. Inevitably, its residual impacts draw them nearer to a center point: Danny slowly veers towards Jake's darker influences, indulging behaviors presumably not endorsed in the instruction booklet provided to seminary students. Paradoxically, Jake is forced the other way, retreating within to address his own torments until his outer shell cracks, leading to a deeper reconnection with his brother. In "Aquarians," both men offer a redemptive pathway for the other, and the resulting opportunity to chart forward-looking paths.
Apparent simplicity begets intensive complexity throughout "Aquarians," as the film demonstrates an ancient patience in coaxing its deep meanings to slowly pour forth. Its two male leads are exemplary, each offering a complexity of truth we're far too sporadically shown in cinema. Despite our ages-old familiarity with stories expounding forgiveness and faith, "Aquarians" somehow presents as newly ripe for our times. This is a resoundingly honest film, and with a consuming authenticity felt to the bones.
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