Along the Way

My expectations were incredibly low when I started watching this film for the first time. It came as a super-low-budget one-pound DVD that had horrible picture and sound quality, even for VHS standards, and absolutely no extras. Just the title, "The Haven", sounded naff to me.

It starts out as a rather unoriginal film, portraying the growing-up of four friends, and it tends to be rather superficial for the first quarter, but then... it really engulfs you.

25 minutes into the film, you have been introduced to the characters and you find yourself completely addicted to see how they solve their building conflict between eachother, their conflict with people around them and how they face the real world. You get so involved into the story and the characters that you eventually experience an emotional rollercoaster until the film ends. Despite being a tough, allegedly non-sensitive guy, it had me shedding a few tears and reflecting silently upon life a few minutes when the film had ended. The film just did not leave me. I still keep thinking about it now, months afterwards.

The most fascinating fact is that it boasts a group of terrific actors, and yet they are all more or less unknown. In my opinion, the strongest actor without doubt is Andrew Bowen, who portrays Jocko. His performance is simply brilliant, and gives the character a depth that I couldn't think possible. The other three actors are marvelous as well, but it was Bowen that captured my attention. When I then found out that Bowen also was the director and writer of the film, I gasped. Quite an undiscovered talent that deserves more recognition.

The most unbelievable thing about the film is that it seems so professionally construed yet has no decent DVD or video release anywhere. To later find out that it has not even reached the major cinemas and has no major distributor is shocking. As far as I'm concerned, the film could easily compete for Oscar or Academy Awards among the top films from major Hollywood studios.

Today, "the Haven" is one of my all-time favourite films. I recommend it to everyone, but they simply cannot get hold of it, which is a shame. I really hope a decent DVD studio gives it a proper worldwide release some day.

In any way, if you get the chance to see "The Haven", please do. It is truly rewarding and will in one way or another affect you - more than you think.

I watched this one about a month ago. The VHS was lying around in the corner of my bedroom, and when i desperately needed to watch a movie, i reluctantly picked it off from the floor and jammed it into the video player. What i didn't realise was that this movie would keep me pinned to the couch for a couple of hours to the point where i wouldn't even want to go to the kitchen to make myself some coffee in case i missed any of the movie (im too lazy, so i couldn't even consider pressing the pause button on the video player. The remote control was lost so....). Anyway... The story behind the haven goes as follows: Four best friends grew up together. They were together since they were pre-teens and stuck together till after their college graduation. When they were kids, they discovered this ranch-like place called "the haven" and made it their special meeting point. The place was special to all 4 of them because it symbolized their brotherhood and soon became their protection. They had made it a customary practice to visit the place together and continued to do so until they were adults. Following their graduation from college, they continue to live their lives together under the assumption that they will always be together or will at least always be there for each other. However, as time goes by, things change. Their bond of brotherhood as sealed by the haven, slowly begins to crumble until disaster strikes into each of their lives. After the spine-chilling tragedies occur, the friends that remain live life in regret, thinking about how things could have turned out better if they had acted more responsively to their other 2 friends who lost their lives. They end up questioning themselves about the bond of brotherhood between the four of them and whether or not it became soo weak to the point where the haven stopped protecting them. This is a very good movie (if not spectacular)and i would recommend it to anyone regardless of what type of viewers they are. This one will fascinate anyone.

I give this a 7.5/10....

I caught a screening of this film last night at a small film festival, The First Anual Desert Reel Festival in Odessa, TX, and was absolutely blown away. This film should not be reduced to scraping around at festivals trying to pick up attention. This film should be number one at the box office. Understand that this remark comes from a guy who is generally very hard on dramatic films. The emotions are usually overblown and the conclusions often ring false or forced. Not in THE HAVEN. All of the characters were well developed and completely believable. I haven't cried in a film since I was 7 or 8 years old watching ET, but let me tell you, there were several scenes in this one that nearly got me. I can't say enough about what a fabulous film this is, or even about the accessibility of those who made it. I met the writer/director, the editor, the producer and one of the stars at the festival and found them all to be really great guys. I wish them, and THE HAVEN all the luck in the world with this excellent film. And I urge any studio with any credibility at all to pick up this movie at the first opportunity. Stars or no, this is the best drama I've seen in years. Possibly ever.

I only wish every person could get a chance to experience what I have with this movie. Never In my life have I had total strangers spend 15 30 minutes talking to me about something with such passion. Never in my life have I had people tell me that this movie can save lives. Do yourself a favor and find a place that is showing this film, it is so worth your time and money. This has the kind of realizm and heart that doen't happen very often and is so desperately needed

this movie took you on a journey--and you absolutely can't stop thinking about it when it's over. you want the four of them to find their way and stay friends forever. the music is one of the most amazing aspects of this movie. it is beautifully written and perfectly coincides with the story so much that sometimes you don't even notice that it is the notes of the music that carry you from one scene to the next. i recommend this film to anyone looking to watch a story that affects you long after the movie is over. thank you for such a great effort towards making a quality film about the things that are the most important parts of life: friendship and loyalty