Yes, Your Tide Is Cold and Dark, Sir

"Yes, Your Tide Is Cold and Dark, Sir" is a beautifully shot, admirably performed, and intentionally interpretive film. The story of Cliff Claitonowsky unfolds after a return to his hometown amidst a search for his father, a beloved, blue collar guitar instructor and his teenage students. The backdrop of blustery Lewes, Delaware, a sleepy seaside town, is a fitting backdrop when juxtaposed with an enigmatic relationship between father and son.

The plot takes a bit of time to develop, but upon second watch, cleverly-woven eccentricities can be found in many scenes that, when observed, really tie some pieces together. It's the type of film one must be intently focused on, as it takes some doing to get a handle on the direction of the plot.

Visually, the film comes across very moody and cold in spots and charming and authentic at other times. The shots of Rehoboth and Lewes, Delaware were beautifully composed.

At its core, "Yes, Your Tide..." is a film about yearning for answers, resolving the past, and embracing life. To that end, the film can be exceptionally personal to those who choose to find meaning in its cryptic message.

On the surface, "Yes, Your Tide Is Cold And Dark, Sir" is a complicated and somewhat circuitous story which deals with a man named Cliff and his search for his missing father, Clay, who's gone missing for months/years with a a group of his guitar students. However, this film is far deeper than a mere physical quest, as Cliff must confront both colorful and dim spiritual bromides and feelings for both his lost father and his deceased mother, and,finally, a challenging past relationship. This piece is definitely for the quick-witted. Beautiful regionalist filmmaking on a shoestring. Again, it's a contemplative film for the emotionally lost.

This move was fantastic! Chris really showed is creative side when writing this movie. It is wonderful that he based the movie in a small town in Lewis DE, and used the local attractions and local people. The movie held your attention and the music was captivating to the theme. I also thought the use of people with different levels of acting experience was a nice touch to the film, after watching the film, had I not known, I would have never guessed that some characters did not have any previous acting experience. The only negative I can say is the language could have been toned down a little.

GREAT JOB Chris, please never lose your creativity and drive for making movies like this one and your previous movie Alms, You Say! Always follow your dream.

After watching the premiere of "Yes, your tide is cold and dark, Sir", the audience is left with an after moment of intense introspection. One's questions are never fully answered in this film, but there is a rich interweaving of the storyline reminiscent of cult classics, like Donnie Darko, where the viewer is left with an series of unsettling memories instead. Throughout this movie, there are simple moments of cinematic beauty depicting the Delaware towns of Lewes and Rehoboth that really lend this film a personality separate from other works, the audience leaves with a true sense of place. It's difficult to depict a place so that one feels connected and as though they could jump in and interact with the characters; the director engages the audience to become vested in the drama of the small-town and the results of the tragedy that envelopes it.

Throughout the movie, the elaborate depictions of human connections and their imminent disconnect is a powerful way to depict the trauma of a unnamed event. It pulls an entire community together and at the center, the main character, "Cliff" is struggling with his own emotions, intrinsically tied to the town he grew up in and the relationships within that mental space. The overlaying feelings of isolation and dramatic sensations of place are interwoven with great transitions. The pace is a little slower at times, but this is a introspective film and picks up cadence with a memorable soundtrack and great movement from scene to scene. Technically speaking, the quality editing and color work are of note, and the treatment of time creates an interesting dimension to this film.

There's a mystery at the core of Chris Malinowski's "Yes, Your Tide is Cold and Dark, Sir," but it's not the one you think.

Certainly the premise - a man returns to his beach-town home, where his father and three kids, all guitar students, have gone missing - is filled with mystery. But Cliff (Malinowski) isn't all that interested in solving the riddle – he's curiously detached from the sensational news surrounding his father. But the questions and mysteries linger, and when one of the missing kids turns up, the town wants answers – and they turn to Cliff.

The film has answers, but not to the questions you thought it was asking. Clues abound - in names, in glances, in odd conversations, even in subtitles - but Malinowski isn't looking to resolve the "plot" suggested by the premise. He's looking deeper, into more personal places. And the more the film reveals (the enigmatic title is explained), the more you realize you're not watching a traditional story arc, but something much sneakier, deeper, and more challenging.

You'd be forgiven for finding "Yes, Your Tide is Cold and Dark" unsatisfying at first. It's not until well after the ending, when all the ideas of Malinowski's haunting work start to take shape, that you understand the movie is about something much more personal and profound than the almost (but not quite) conventional mystery proposed at the outset. Malinowski purposefully begins with a fairly straight-ahead narrative, and slowly (perhaps too slowly at times) takes it into odd, sometimes surreal places. He intentionally frustrates your expectations, forging sideways rather than ahead, until you realize you've been moving ahead the whole time. And he does it all in a beautifully-filmed movie, a loving and sumptuously-photographed portrait of a Delaware beach town.

As Cliff, Malinowski is a strong center, if sometimes a bit too passive (a trap many autobiographical filmmakers fall into). The film pulses with energy when he shows anger and passion (two scenes in particular - one odd argument between Cliff and a guitar student, one confrontation with a man who insists he WILL BUY CLIFF A DRINK, are riveting). The supporting characters, many of whom are harboring their own secrets, are excellently portrayed – standout actors include Jean Brooks, Aimee Cassada, and Gregory Tigani, but they're all very good. A thread about mysterious men in black is a bit distracting, although their leader (Ritchie Rubini) is chillingly effective – their presence is another sign that the movie refuses to bow to convention, but they feel a little forced. I suspect they partially represent a wink from Malinowski – you want a thriller, I'll give you a thriller - but they feel like misdirection. But maybe I just haven't quite figured out their place in the story yet.

But I will, because I'll be thinking about Malinowski's lyrical movie for a long time. I hope I haven't made this very entertaining film sound ponderous or alienating - even the most surreal scenes are infused with accessible emotions and strong, often poetic language. It's a fascinating piece of work that keeps you guessing right up until the final scene, where you discover Malinowski has been hiding secrets in plain sight the entire time.