WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Here’s what we know–and what we didn’t, should have, had access to, and yet declined to take action on it. Does this not seem like an all-too-common series of truths we are fed when it comes to the news, politics, and anything which is about to be or flat out becomes detrimental to our country’s ability to handle an adverse situation? As we reel in the face of those in power who are granted the ability TO do something about but don’t appear to actually LISTEN to those in the know who get summarily dismissed, how CAN we expect things to ever truly improve in the means by which things SHOULD be dealt with? John (Ezekiel N. Drews) is a man in internal and external crisis after absolute tragedy that could have been averted. As he deals with the aftermath, it creates a journey of frustrated recollection, battling proverbial and figurative “demons”, and desperately seeking the one thing that remains so evasive–sincere hope for release and redemption.
Next, my Mind:
Say what you will about how the filmmaking community tends to latch onto a specific subject matter and then proceeds to drive it home, and into the ground, through making every possible effort about it that it can, that sense of them just attempting (sometimes successfully, other times–yeah, not so much) to “cash in” on the current “in” topic or topics. While this is quite verifiable with the cornerstone path this new 70-minute indie feature film chooses to take on, make no mistake here folks that, in this critic’s opinion, it takes on a much more personal direction that adds a totally human element to the story in a manner which allows it to likewise set itself apart from “just your average (much less ANOTHER) film about…”. Straightforwardly presenting a real world-based scenario paired with societally-charged relevance and relatability that assuredly reflects our contemporary reality in this country, it also delivers a political drama that, while yes we HAVE “seen it before”, should still resonate within and remind us of precisely what alterations in national atmosphere NEED to become actuality so that this exact circumstance can FINALLY be avoided in the future rather than experienced.
Told from the viewpoint of a government worker immersed in his own individual hell because of a grievous loss and others’ misdeeds, conspicuous lies, and shady motives, the narrative is not REMOTELY shy about the state of affairs, past and present, that it intentionally and bitingly makes targeted jabs at from the beginning through a large portion of its runtime. This is one of those tales that’s MEANT to get your ire up to a certain degree, contemplate again how things have arrived at this place we continue to reside in, and further ascertain (as feasibly as is realistic, anyway) how we might see it all get transformed for the better so that the polarization, amounts of personal depression, and the yearning to watch better angels get their opportunity to shine could come about. Believe me, NO ONE is “safe” here from the due scrutiny the project’s narrative is aiming for and, frankly, achieving, but that’s the POINT, and it MAKES all-encompassing sense given conditions that have transpired in recent years.
Thanks to this merging of unavoidable truth utilized in tandem with the fictional facets showcased, the film has a huge scope of thematic tangents it throws at us over the course of one man’s plight, including but certainly not limited to governmental maneuvering and blatant backstabbing, shifty agendas, the nondisclosure of necessary and pertinent information that impacts an entire nation, conflicting and/or divided leadership, being a victim via thrown under the bus as a scapegoat, economic collapse, misguided loyalty, coping, survivor’s guilt, and initial or ongoing lack of listening to voices of reason all have their time within the context of the narrative. But, don’t let this turn you off in what would seem like nothing but negativity, as at the heart of the objectives being depicted, there’s room for the necessary beauty of reconnection, moving on, letting go, and ideally encountering that sought after liberation of heart, mind, and soul. HOW this all gets accomplished is what I admired about the film, still done in a relatively truncated timespan given this being a feature length effort, and the reveals and twists involved, I also felt, are WORTH it.
Drews steps out from behind the camera here to take on the lead role of John Rutherford, a man placed in an already unenviable position thanks to his job which has only turned worse when all that’s unfolding around him on top of everything he personally holds belief in falls to ruin in a pivotal moment of choice. Weighed down in the ripple effect of circumstances, will he be able to not only keep trying to find solace and inward peace, but also tell his story in full when a seemingly random stranger comes along that alters his viewpoint of the world while unmasking everything that’s come to pass. It’s an emotionally impactful performance by Drews, who must play a character in turmoil while striving to KEEP the emotive force and intensity credible and fervent, a factor I have always felt is difficult to accomplish believably without straying into melodrama or overacting. To the best degrees possible, I felt Drews DID navigate this successfully.
Primary/key supporting roles come into the picture through Joseph A. Mauro as Samuel, a wanderer in a seemingly empty world who becomes a catalyst of change for John upon their meeting, Melissa Harrison as Karen, John’s ex-wife who might still hold a torch for him in spite of the situations that tore them apart, Alexis R. Drews as Lexi, John’s beloved young daughters whom his means to celebrate and cherish is carried on in a unique, cathartic, but still painful way, A.J. Laird as Jack, the VP of the United States who more than lives up to the notion of a slimy politician, Tony Lee Gratz is Senator West, a man running against the current POTUS and who isn’t afraid to express his opinions of the current administration, Steve Piper as the lead Secret Service agent who may or may not be as honest as he appears, and Dan Davies as the POTUS who appears to be both perpetrator and victim in John’s dilemma.
Additional appearances are made by Kimberly Laberge, Jamie Fudym, Kara Bonnema, Steve Pavlik, Nicholas Gabriel Reyes, Maynard Hebert, Matthew Kenner, Wesley Word, David Bourgeois, Dave Somerscales, Sammy Collins, Suzanne Maki, Anthony Weber, Selwyn Ayers Jr., John Hetzel Jr., Zed Rivera, Elise White, Bradley Tremblay, and Thomas Mccarthy among a HOST of others. Hey, as far as this critic is concerned and has stated before, NO…SMALL…PARTS. So, congratulations and “Bravo!” to ALL the supporting actors who played in the film. You deserve the recognition, too. So, in total, “Happy Birthday” feels more like grass roots indie filmmaking but simply on a slightly larger scale, not willing to sacrifice narrative and character development for the sake of fancier sets or special effects, rather delivering an undeniably cautionary and apposite story that adeptly mirrors our present national state of being combined with a tight political drama which yields some worthy surprises. It also speaks to our humanity, how we strive to hang tight to ideals in the face of betrayals and loss, and how unexpected sources can become our absolution.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
