WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
In walking this Earth, we’re so much the sum of those who mean the most to us. As we traverse the challenges of reality, clinging to the relationships which act as mentors and mediators, complimenters and critics, friends and foes, we are constantly shaped by what transpires around us through these connections. The concept of best friends is especially potent, the value of it almost unsurpassed, and so necessary as a part of our journey. But, when that gets interrupted in a jarring, unanticipated manner, the aftermath can resoundingly remain within us, and coping with it becomes the hardest path to tread. In a seaside community, a young boy (Finn O’Donovan) encounters this road from childhood into his adulthood, all the while harboring the pain of loss. How he comes through it will be no easy task. Yet, as he grows, the actuality of inner restoration and reclamation starts to unfold.
Next, my Mind:
Normally if I were to state “I got what I expected” when about to expound on my musings associated with a film I watched, it might be easy to desire that notion as preceding a mundane essay on something that was perfectly fine, but nothing extraordinary. Basically, a more negative vibe. Well, folks, get THAT line of consideration an emphatic boot to the curb, as THIS time, the aforementioned phrase as applied to this newest indie feature film effort from Irish writer/director/producer/cinematographer/editor Colin Hickey DOES wholeheartedly MEAN what it says, but in the most shining, stirring, overtly positive manner possible. The third film I’ve now had the privilege to witness from this Emerald Isle-based filmmaker, it’s another utterly magical adventure into the sheer beauty of what cinema can convey and, as with this artist’s previous efforts, do say without actually saying a word. Yes, this is what I would expect–and GREATLY yearned for.
Once more dialogue free and hence relying on immersive, creative, gorgeously shot imagery intermixed with animation that’s in one instance borderline fantastical in its richness then in another undeniably, eerily haunting, the narrative is still evident even without talking heads, frankly even the better for it, as the tale of grief, inner battles, finding one’s way through it all, and arriving on the other side holding to that sometimes elusive element called HOPE evolves through visually stunning execution paired with an equally present and emotionally powerful, adeptly multifaceted aural “attack” that deftly and intelligently shifts the tone and mood of everything with totally evocative force, pulling on your mind, heart, and soul as you drink in the wealth of tangibly conspicuous then sometimes enigmatic facets of this story’s intent. Honestly, this IS a work of filmic wonder and artistry, showcasing the human condition, one moment at a time.
The passage of time as seen through the growth of our primary character over a period of implied years here seems even more profound somehow via the use of the black and white filming format, which given the foundational premise we’re to glean from this is apropos for melancholy travels centered on friendship’s strength, the agony of losing it, the haze of confusion and sorrow it causes, and the seemingly endless wandering one finds themselves amidst while attempting to reconcile it. Yet, there’s not just this sense of endings presented, but also a foray into reopening of a clouded mind, a rediscovery of acceptance and love, the renewal and re-birth of life itself and how that can aid in delivering the needed balm to our being. Images of home, planting, the fishing community, landscapes, seascapes, fireworks, and more all assist in bringing these objectives to stark yet vibrantly impactful, majestic life, sometimes clear, other times eccentric and surreal, but all unified in purpose and deeper meanings. It’s a metaphorical, existential, allegorical, philosophical, and proverbial road following ardent circumstance to absolute release, masterfully presented start to finish.
Speaking of finishing, the finale of the film is so touching and filled with striking signifigance, the ideal completion of one extended, 82-minute mix of recollection and present endeavor. Additionally, as alluded to above, the images we’re entreated to here become characters in and of themselves, again with the starkness of colorless exhibition still eliciting awe, sadness, elation, and contemplation as the rugged yet pristine splendor of rural Ireland’s countrysides, skylines, and coastlines ultimately dominate the proceedings, but in wonderfully unique ways in order to emphasize the themes being given for consideration. The no less poignant and fruitfully essential use of animation here greatly assists in appending the live action tapestries being painted as well. And then we have the utilization of sounds that are just as diverse and expressively (perhaps even poetically) employed to lend further illumination on the events depicted, from nature’s sonorous choruses via wind, thunder, waves, birds chirping, and wind chimes ringing to the atmospheric, ethereal music accompaniment thanks to orchestral, piano-centric and/or guitar-centric scores that are lively then somber, again just building the degrees and ranges of emotions the narrative resides within with moving effectiveness.
So, our actors have no speaking parts at all here, which is a commonality all three of Hickey’s projects share (see thoughts on those HERE and HERE, incidentally), and so it is left to what this critic still maintains has to be one of the hardest aspects of the art to learn to do with excellence, much less ease–body language and facial expression AS the de facto “words” being “uttered” in order to still channel the messages and designs behind them. BUT, like said previous efforts, what makes it a lot easier for this tactic is that you truly have a sense of watching the natural flow of individuals being filmed as if IN their actual daily life, and therefore the reactions, mannerisms, and grander sentiments on display simply seem, well, NATURAL. This engages you with each person shown, compelling you to assess and determine what is occurring with them in that relatable, believable form, while continually evaluating the essence of the cornerstone narrative they’re acting upon in each moment.
This may seem a tad overstated or vague, but really, it’s something that I feel comes out with definitive clarity in the context of the film as you view it. The primary ensemble cast involved here, a mix of both young and older, are Finn O’Donovan, Clara Rose Hickey, Muriel O’Brady (Pitton), Jack O’Mahony, Ciara Kirby, Sahar Jarrahie-Koorn, Hickey himself, Faye O’Donovan, Alex O’Donovan, Jean Perry, Jimmy McDonagh, Ava McDonagh, Desiree Koorn, and Lily Sheehy-Stephenson, all of whom make splendid use of the time on screen and are genuine, convincing, emotively persuasive, subtle and profound, understated and quietly passionate, and definitively pertinent to the narrative at hand in spite of not having a single word to speak. Truly, admirable efforts provided by all. And we shall not forget Teddy and Pedro, two intrepid donkeys who make a showing, too! So, in total, “Perennial Light” is hard to sum up in fullness with only words, but rather something to EXPERIENCE in order to absorb all the intricacies, dramatic weight, cerebral, and spiritual nuances it yields even as it captivates your senses and gives us one of the most original looks at loss and healing out there. For me, the ultimate takeaway about the importance of wellbeing and necessity of liberation from our personal storms is one the film’s title encapsulates so consummately—EVERLASTING.
STAR RATING (OUT OF 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
