Marcus

Marcus, written and directed by J. R. Poli, stars Owen Miller as the titular character Marcus Howard, a grizzled and weary man whose world is falling apart all around him. After losing everything and teetering on the brink of ending it all, Marcus sets out to find his estranged daughter Gaby played by Katana Malone. With new life-changing revelations presented upon Marcus' arrival, the two near-virtual strangers work to see if forgiveness, absolution and reconciliation are even possible. Miller and Malone play well off of one another, giving us some of the film's strongest and most heart-felt moments.

But it is Miller's "monologued" moments that bear the most weight. Miller's performance, both figuratively and literally, illustrate the struggles we all face when dealing with societal expectations, social norms, imposter syndrome and one's own definition of success.

Composer Chris Coleman's melancholic score accents some the film's finest and heaviest moments. The motif in the climactic hospital scene in the third act is beautifully and hauntingly anchored by Coleman's soundscape, which replaces all of the sound and dialogue.

Marcus is a drama with some light-hearted moments that delve into some dark spaces and may even be triggering for some. This film tackles the imbalances of love, loss, family, mental health issues, abandonment, socio-economic struggles and touches on the state of our medical system, all real-world related matters. However, Marcus does not leave the viewer believing that they are alone. The talk Marcus has with a seemingly stranded driver on a highway overpass and the "under-the-door" conversation Marcus has with longtime friend Matt Boyd's (Todd Bruno) son Jackson (Greyson W. Poli) are two of the more endearing moments in the film. On the whole, Marcus dares to ask, can a person still find peace amongst what seems to be insurmountable instances of pain, struggle, heartache and setbacks in life.

So....

It took me two days to digest the film Marcus. I cried, like a big baby cried. What a dynamic film that touches on so many relevant topics, including facing ourselves finding ourselves and righting our wrongs.

What struck me the hardest was the acknowledgement and unpacking of mental health in men, a topic that will always be relevant and hopefully one day soon the stigma will end. Get the help you need, do not let anyone shame you! You matter! Your health matters!

If you have not seen Marcus, please be sure to sit down and really watch. Do NOT forget the tissue! I felt every single emotion from the cast.

Katana Malone was AMAZING. The entire cast was amazing! I did the whole ugly cry. I didn't even move when it was over. I sat there for over 30 minutes just thinking it through.

When I woke up, I was still thinking about it. I'm STILL thinking about it and I watched Friday night. Powerful, just POWERFUL! I actually think I'm going to watch again. Mental health is real and this film touches on that in the most human way possible.

Owen Miller gives a stunning performance while Katana Malone is outstanding in her's. Between the two of them prepare to have your heart wrenched out. This is a must see movie like no other, with a lasting empathetic impact. I am pleased that this story line served up tremendous emotions that brought me to tears several times. Marcus and many like him represent the real world and his story needs to be told, felt, embraced, and shared. J.R. Poli you are a genius director. Well Done!

The brilliance of what J.R. Poli and emotion of Owen Miller bring to the screen makes Marcus a must watch. Owen quickly pulls you in seamlessly as you become a spectator of his journey. Laughing, crying, just feeling. The way J.R. Poli navigates you threw every emotion had me feeling like I was watching pure art. Marcus should be a handbook for anyone who struggles with mental health issues but has a hard time putting to words their experience. 10/10

This is a must see film with a voice and something important to be said. Everything is done well in the movie from the DP, acting and directing. Pacing is very good as well as the story continues to move as you are digesting what is going on with the main character.