The Overlookers

I saw this movie at a local film festival and was pleased with the ability of the actors to portray real people. This movie exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed the journey through several character's lives without overwhelming you with too much storyline. The writing, directing and acting were all commendable. The story also wasn't polluted with too much sexual content or violence. I experienced a range of emotions from happiness to sadness and anger to relief. You become functionally attached to the characters; conversely you are not overly concerned with the amount of time spent within the multiple sub-stories that eventually bring you back to the primary focus. It was worth the money and time spent!

I just saw this film at the Antelope Valley Independent Film Festival, and I have to say it was one of the best, if not the best, of the features on the program.

The acting was exceptional, thanks to the writing, of course, and the film itself is beautiful. Shot on DV, it could've looked like a home movie, but it was hard to tell that it wasn't 35mm.

The plot intertwines the lives of about 6 characters, and manages to tie them all together loosely, without giving you the whole picture, which works much better in this case than your typical Don Simpson Hollywood ending. The filmmakers did a lot of cutting away at key moments in the film, to give you that heightened sense of anticipation, a little tease, then they snatched the payoff away, leaving you wanting more. I think the whole movie is ultimately the same way, and you love it.

I will be buying this film on DVD as soon as it's available, and if you have a chance to catch a screening of it, don't miss your chance.