A Tale of Delight

A Tale of Delight is a delicate, intimate look at PTSD, a movie full of gradations and yet full swings of time, tone and development. Through the romance starting this film, we get to know the lead character, the real side of Mike. This after the breakthrough he was having from whatever tough upbringing he went through. We have a caring sister with her own problems, a supportive friend who now has kids to raise, a wimpy husband married to a control freak of a cousin.

In short, we have an afflicted Mike dealing with the invasive clumsiness of family and the expert, distanced therapy of a counselor and support house.

We hurt precisely because we're good, or want to be - that was the feeling I got from Mike, so I liked how long it takes us to get to know him. It goes well with the intimacy/intricacy of each scene, how exclusive it feels to witness how he treats a small girl around a Christmas tree, how he speaks directly to the camera at the harrowing end of this film.

And what happens at the end can be up to interpretation, an appropriate un-sugarcoating of a serious issue affecting anyone who has to go through the type of hell Mike does, be they accident victims, men and women in uniform, sufferers of domestic violence, etc.

We often don't know how our kindness affects others. Mike's sister doesn't wait to find out. She, like the audience, like this amazing film, looks post traumatic stress straight in the eye.

A Tale of Delight is difficult to watch because Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is apparently difficult to live with. The sheer intensity of the story-telling leaves you with no where to hide. Blott is as focused as he is relentless in simulating a season in the life of someone affected by this disorder. He effectively utilizes both visual and auditory effects to envelope you in the emotions of the experience . I found myself seeking relief, which served to reinforce the point all the more. This film leaves you feeling like you needed to be unsettled. In the end you are thankful for the discomfort and the empathy you gain for those plagued by PTSD. I rate this film 9 of 10 stars because the screenplay was well written, the acting solid, the direction focused and effective. In short, A Tale of Delight accomplishes what it set out to do.

As a student of psychology, I found this movie a fascinating look at the perspective of someone dealing with a serious mental illness and the lack of support they can feel from friends and family. The acting was superb, as was the writing and directing. A+++

Anyone who has interest in mental illness, has a mental illness, or has family or friends with mental illness should see this film. It really enlightens one to how it feels to have your illness brushed aside as if it is less real than viruses and bacterial infections.

The brain is a very important organ in our body, and if things are not running smoothly in our brains, everything else in our life suffers. To overlook mental illness because it's "all in his head" is to overlook perhaps the most debilitating kind of illness known to man. This movie shows this better than any I have ever seen.

Writer/Director Edd Blott's A Tale of Delight is delightful. It invites us into the life of someone we all know but who has never been willing to be known this intimately: someone dealing with mental illness. That this journey elicits laughs, frustration, and empathy is a testimony to its insight and skillful storytelling.

I saw the film last week and have been thinking about it ever since. It is an uncomfortable viewing by design. But a worthy one. There are at least two scenes that include some of the most human and revealing dialogue I have heard this year.

Prior to seeing this film I was not familiar with any of the performers involved. I'm now looking forward to what each of them does next.