Lightning Bug

I know this is based on the writer/ director's real life and I am curious exactly how much detail is as usually some is fictional for theatrical purposes. Either way, this movie has enough going on to hold your interest throughout.

the movie starts off with Jenny Graves driving to a new small town with her 2 kids. she talks like a normal smart person but the very next scene she looks and acts like a dumb backwoods hick. i feel the movie moved along to quickly for the first quarter , all the actors except for Green Graves and his brother acted WAY over the top as dumb as a post hicks. i was almost going to turn it off.... but it improved greatly once Angevin duvet (Laura Prepon)character appeared. the story being told is OK but nothing special and in no way shape or form is this a horror movie. why is IMDb listing so many movies as horror lately? it is a drama with a small bit of thriller. 7 out of 10

In the independent drama "Lightning Bug", Bret Harrison stars as Green Graves, a tormented dreamer whose only aspiration is to become a horror film makeup artist. Graves struggle to reach his goal is plagued by his unlucky mother, Jenny (Ashley Laurence) and his new highly abusive stepfather, Earl (Kevin Gage). But Graves does everything in his power to keep dreaming and to help that dream stay alive is his girlfriend and amateur actor, Angevin Duvet (Laura Prepon).

"Lighting Bug" is a relentless drama about one boy's struggle to overcome his abusive surroundings. Everything from his alcoholic stepfather, hopeless mother and white trash surroundings are all key plot points to keep this boy in check. What is strange about this film is that it is being marketed as a horror film when really it's an unforgiving drama.

The best part of this film is the stalwart performance by Bret Harrison, who is a relative newcomer to film. He has so much emotion and personal depth in a lot of scenes. He is a great find. I will look forward to seeing more from this kid.

I have always liked Ashley Laurence and her portrayal of a lost white-trash single mother is captivating and so unforgiving that I often forgot it was her.

Another thing I really liked was the film's original music from singer-songwriter Kevn Kinney. It brought so much extra flavor to the film.

The biggest problem with the film is that it never lets up. It is just so depressing and relentless the audience is never allowed to breathe or laugh. I also really got annoyed with the sub-plot involving Laura Prepon's character's mother. This is such a tedious subplot to create even more conflict for the boy. He gets enough at home.

If you happen to see this film, enjoy the performance of Bret Harrison but prepare for a very bumpy and dark ride. (3 out of 5) So Says the Soothsayer (dwkish@shaw.ca) DVD Details: "Lightning Bug" will be released from Anchor Bay Home Entertainment on August 9. The DVD features 2 audio commentaries with director Robert Hall and one featuring Ashley Laurence and Laura Prepon. The DVD also includes a music video from Kevn Kinney and some deleted scenes. The DVD itself is smartly packaged and it is amazing how much extra stuff there is here for such an independent film.

I had the honor of seeing Lightning Bug a couple of months ago. It is a movie that has it all. It is beautifully written and directed by the very talented, Mr. Robert Hall. It is wonderfully acted by such stars as Bret Harrison, Laura Prepon and Hal Sparks, to just name a few.

A must see for any person who has ever had a dream and strived to achieve that dream. Green (Bret Harrison) has a dream. To leave this small rural town and make it big in Hollywood. Designing and building monsters for television/movies. This story is about his hard work, dedication and loyalty to his dream, regardless of the "monsters" in that small town trying to stop him. Will he make it? Will he and his newfound love, Angevin, leave the town and all the monsters behind?

Excellent movie!

A drama/thriller, set in the South, about a young boy who longs to escape the misery of his childhood and the misunderstanding of his hometown...

I have known about this film for many years, being a serious horror fan and thus a fan of both Robert Hall and Ashley Laurence (both very nice people, by the way). Not until now, with the Blu-Ray release, did I finally get around to checking it out.

Robert Hall impresses. How much of this is autobiographical and how much is not is hard to say -- I suspect it is much more dramatic than the real story. But it works here, and is legitimately frightening in a way that horror films are not -- abuse is a serious fear for many people. Spousal abuse and child abuse are sadly all too real.

The religious aspect I am uncertain about. There are obviously religious people in the South, and I think the film did a good job by showing that not everyone in town thinks Halloween is Satanic (the line for the haunted house is pretty long). I wish they had explained more about how the church was or was not Bible-based...