WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
Do we reach out when we’re hurting, or make every attempt to push down the pain? As is very common when it comes to all levels of bearing the weight of sorrow, the means by which we decide to cope with it are as varied as the circumstances that allow it to enter and fester within us. But, there is another fact that remains viable yet hard to handle in these trying moments–there ARE ways out. For 18-year old Keith (Kabir McNeely), it begins with a phone conversation with his Aunt over the passing of his grandmother. Yet, over the course of their ensuing discussion, it becomes a time of unanticipated revelation that could make the difference between lingering regret and newfound worth.
Next, my Mind:
Not many other ways to say this initial thought that came to mind as it manifested while viewing one of the newest indie short film efforts from San Francisco-based 16-year old writer/director/producer/actor Kabir McNeely, and so as stated by this critic many a time prior, it shall be said still again when it comes to one of the many fantastic facets of the independent film realms I often treasure–simplicity shines brightly. Boasting a runtime of only 5-minutes, the beauty of character and narrative-based filmmaking is brought to vivid but uncomplicated life here, delivering an end product that is both deeply stirring on a relatability level while being wonderfully, realistically, intentionally expressive without being overly dramatic or making any tries to elicit unearned emotional reactions from the viewer.
While I can most assuredly say that films utilizing the cornerstone theme here, one young man’s efforts to deal with loss and the associated coping mechanisms he’s been seeking to discover needed solace, is not anything in itself remotely new to be explored, it’s the storm of initially mixed reactions he is having to the situation as revealed in a phone call with another relative plus the accompanying revelation he becomes privy to that changes his whole perspective on the event. This is what allowed this to stand out for me amongst a myriad of other equally potent stories of the same general ilk. Additionally, in the grander portrait of narratives covering these subjects, I never ultimately get tired of supporting them, as now more than ever, people NEED to know others are there to support, encourage, and love them.
There are plenty of visually-based cues present throughout the film as well that fully and decidedly illustrate the sole character’s plight and bring about considerations of topics from depression, self-acceptance and the need to understand our value/worth to others, the regrets we carry when it seems too late to find forgiveness, even if in our own minds, how we don’t seem to comprehend HOW we are seen through the eyes of those who actually cherish us, especially in view of the wrongs we might feel we’ve done to them, and being hit hard in heart, mind, soul, and spirit with the absolute, unequivocally potent force that IS love and the healing it can cause to fall upon us when we most require its ministrations. It’s all addressed with that foundational poignancy and intensity which will cement the themes in your head well after the film is over.
From the overall visual standpoint, the film is highly spartan, but not in a bad way. For the story being presented, the close-ups of the character’s countenance to the specifically set aside snapshots of the stages of grief he’s experiencing all meld together with smoothly purposeful clarity. Paired with the atmospheric piano-driven musical piece “Immersed” by composer Kevin MacLeod, it all emotively captures the viewer and allows the basic nature of the production to be accepted for the sake of the larger messages being conveyed through the cinematography and the dialogue. McNeely, mind you again we’re talking 16-years old here folks, has such an innocently believable yet mature presence and manner about him in his role as Keith, a young man on the verge of so many doubts and hesitations about the recent loss of his grandmother, not able to cope well with it, yet crying out for comfort and understanding. Thanks to one phone call and one moment during it, everything is altered for him, and could become the catalyst for inner reconciliation.
It’s no wonder McNeely has been continuing to gain, as it mentioned in his IMDb profile, “international interest through his uniquely expressive and direct acting style.” Honestly, I would simply have to wholeheartedly agree after seeing him for the first time through this effort. So, in total, “Keith” should become a testament to the necessary messages that speak to the need for mental health/grief/depression awareness as well as offering a beacon of light that when we’re facing these demons, there IS hope for complete redemption and newfound cognizance of just how much we are adored for who we are. Add to this that forgiveness is a more present element in life than we acknowledge, and something we not only should embrace for ourselves, but be ready to extend to others in such current times of tumult like the present.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
