I think a lot of these people are friends with the cast and crew because the film is definitely not a ten.. I found the film on amazon while searching for an Ed Harris movie with the same name. I didn't want to pay to watch Ed Harris movie so I saw this one to the side. I liked the poster and the trailer and free, so I decided to give it a watch.
First I'll start with the positive. I think the pacing and script are quite good. And a solid ending. The characters were all good and acting was actually pretty good for not having a real budget and more known actors. And another thing is the quality is way better than you would think for a film made for only 30k. Also music was admirable.
Now for the bad. I just think this story has been told way too many times in Hollywood films. The themes expressed and the way the story plays out seems similar (but defiantly cleverly done a bit differently) to other films. The Godfather comes to mind. Probably a huge influence on this one. Also there are no female characters. I mean, there are two, but they have nothing going for them. Both are poorly acted compared to their male counterparts and the script just doesn't give you enough to care about them. There was no chemistry between the Sara and Somny characters who were supposed to be this couple with a history. Also I just couldn't find out why I couldn't like the lead character Sonny, as opposed to the other lead actor who plays the older brother. I don't know what it is because I liked the actors performance and the script really developed him well and gave him a good arc. You need your lead to be likable a little in my humble opinion.
Very talented up and coming cast and crew. I really commend director Jake Thomas Armbruster for pulling off what he did with this film. With only 30k I can't believe what he was able to make. Will look to watch some of his short films and look out for what he does in the future. Kudos to all involved.
