The Wake of Light

Excruciatingly slow moving. Lacking in any real character development. The plot could have made for a much better film, but alas, failed miserably. Could have been filmed by a student or two with a budget of a few hundred dollars. The whole thing seems to be drowning under a really loud piano, which just gets irritating after a short time. I had to force myself to keep watching, but, in the end, I regret the time wasted!

...I'll give it a 7 out of 10 for you! But I'd suggest skipping this and watching "Days of Heaven" instead, and if you already saw that, I'm not sure what this film will do for you. The style is very similar but not nearly as effective as prime Malick; after a while it starts to feel manipulative. I think these kinds of films work well when the audience senses urgency for the main characters (s). Here, however, the main character is young and likely has plenty of time to pursue other things. Moreover, she doesn't come across as all that motivated to do something else with her life (perhaps giving her a special goal/dream and showing us how she longs for it in her spare time would have helped a lot). The visuals are nice, but only for a short time, and then we see that it's a rather alienating landscape to some degree, but the director doesn't utilize this and instead we just get the same types of scenes and music. The plot is too thin if the acting is just okay and the visuals or audio/visual patterns just keep repeating, which is the case here.

This film is a thoughtful and intimate portrait of a guarded woman who cares deeply and is devoted to her ailing father but must learn she has to think about her own needs and open her heart if she wants to grow spiritually. It's not often you see a picture this honest and original, that is brave enough to dissect such a sensitive issue, and leaves you thinking about it weeks afterward. I saw it when it came out and was excited to rent it to see if it was just as powerful.

I found this movie to be a welcome relief from the norm. The story is thoughtful and beautifully shot. Though it's a drama it's not too heavy. It's inspirational, and ends positively, but its not predictable. The actors were wonderfully human and relatable. It would be too simple to say it's a detox from the hyper-everything about so much of life today, but that it is. You just leave with a positive feeling that sticks with you for a while.

We begin the film on a soft, gentle and quirky walk through a small town in California as we follow a lady selling fresh well water to the thirsty. The town is like a lot of rural America; dilapidated buildings alongside the loyal citizenry who hang on to the rural dream. The town struggles to gentrify without losing the rustic charm. We follow this lady to her home at the end of the day and discover she's the caretaker for a scary-looking giant, her father, who's been debillitated by some medical trauma. The lady is an inspiration, always the optimist, dedicated to family, carving out a minimal existence and getting by just fine. One day is like any other and has been for years until she crosses paths with a wanderer whose car broke down in her town. She's the reluctant one. He's the relentless one as they try to find romance without getting hurt. Unlike so many 'romances,' the story ends in an unusual but very satisfying way. I won't spoil it for you.