WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
It forever seems to be the longest standing element in human existence that remains relevant through all of history–that inexorable search for REAL, ABIDING love and all that accompanies it that soothes our very being. While we might choose to find our solace in other forms of it, ie: a favorite activity or through faith, nothing necessarily matches the wonder of being connected to another person in such a meaningful manner, a sharing of all we are, and all that we can be together. Often, however, the road to this bliss can be fraught with heartache and disappointment. Throughout her life, Heather (Michelle Arthur) has strived to give her heart to that “someone special” yet has ultimately found nothing but frustration and pain. At a point of being beyond hope, the journey she embarks on becomes one of hard lessons but inner freedom and newfound understanding that could have unanticipated results.
Next, my Mind:
Regret, restlessness, reflection, personal reconciliation, and needed release all gets paired with a uniquely executed take on “time travel” over the span of this 69-minute indie feature film effort from writer/director/producer/executive producer Michelle Arthur, contributing writer Stacy Newton, plus associate producers Jeff Vernon, Jaymes Butler, and Maureen Mahon that showcases an age-old pursuit we’ve seen more than many a time and infuses it with a fresh vibrancy thanks to uncomplicated yet intricate delivery that makes you have to view beyond the surface to capture the intended nuances the story offers. This critic is sincerely wishing to emphasize that point, as while I felt there were some overall production flaws here and there (primarily some scene transitions seemed just a little too abrupt or otherwise drawn out and/or choppy), it IS the film’s messages that are what should sink in and leave the indelible mark on you through their undeniable relatability.
Told quite literally from one woman’s perspective via supposed triumphs then subsequent travails when it comes to her longing for then loathing of love, the narrative follows her emotionally volatile events as a teenager through to present day (a forty-four year span to be exact), highlighting everything she’s had to endure and attempt to cope with while still trying to hold on to ANY semblance of belief that ACTUAL lasting love exists. It establishes initially that the entire notion of what love CAN or is SUPPOSED to be does linger, yet also appears to be just as elusive and fleeting as time itself, more like a thief that steals away our dreams of that yearned for companionship even when we THINK we’ve found it–over, and over, and over, and over. The film does a superb job at illustrated the sheer toll on one’s very soul that a constant state of feeling loneliness and anger towards what we held as true when it’s pulled out from under us too many times when we’ve entrusted someone with everything we are, expecting it in return.
Then, the film carries within its narrative a wealth of other thematic facets which address a wide range of ideas from the humiliations of love’s failures, the whole “there’s more fish in the sea” concept, coping with the hurt lost love and the investment in heart being shattered brings about, anxieties, generational viewpoints as we see it from our own place in life, the need to seek help much less accept and follow it once provided, not bottling up what’s trying to bury itself within us and hence burden us further, finding a place to NOT give up or at least be willing to TRY for what we are reaching for again even in spite of past pain, the significance behind gifts received (in this film’s case, mainly jewelry), liberating ourselves from becoming permanently embittered towards the thought of love, and having the beauty of re-discovering that we don’t NEED to be involved with someone to HAVE joy and contentment. All of this and more is explored and all in a way that this critic feels allows for us as the viewer to KNOW with total accessibility what these experiences are like as well. Again, it’s that narrative and character-driven relatability I so often mention.
The film visually is conveyed with an intelligently laid out format that deftly uses, in certain and apropos sequences, what we DON’T see as the key tool to paint the portrait of isolation and the void left in love’s absence, especially when it has been torn away. Specific scenes, whether focused on a person or a place operate within this purposeful imagery and lend that smartly presented aspect to how the film’s themes and characters are being explored, expressing how they are feeling without them always directly saying it. It’s that sense of separation from what’s around them, even AS the world around them is completely in synch with it all. There are multiple moments utilizing lyrically-based songs to work in tandem with the moment occurring, sometimes to the extent of it being like a music video. Some may find this odd or out of place to a certain extent, but as a whole, I felt it fits well enough as an extension of what’s being felt by the character at that time. By the film’s finale, we’ve actually come full circle in many (some literal) ways, and that makes for a solid and satisfying conclusion.
I’ve now watched and offered opinion on four previous efforts from Arthur (“Fate’s Shadow“, “Fate’s Shadow: The Whole Story“, “The Wisteria Manor“, and “V & F“), and I find it safe to say that regardless of what grander and still scattered production-based errs you might witness, there’s a far more important dynamic to center on, which now goes along with what I will say about the actress in this newest film as well–there’s the evident passion, heart, whimsey, and intent she infuses into each film and consequently into each character she plays that still so wonderfully sums up the drive, commitment, and desire to simply BRING something to the world on screen that will entertain and even challenge you to think about your own life and what’s contained within. Now, Arthur embodies this goal again through her role as Heather, a. woman whose forays into love from youth through until present has sadly been less than stellar.
Clearly a woman who wears her heart and emotions on her sleeve and wishes to fully share her world with someone who actually LOVES her back, Heather’s ongoing encounters with love gone bad have left her bereft of hope and holding on to resentment, self-doubt, and other pent-up worries that threaten to derail her forever. But, when starting to finally confront these demons while also coming across the path of others who genuinely empathize and/or wish to help her, it opens up entirely new realities to walk in and could lead to the healing–and love–she’s pined for. It’s one of those performances where you just know Arthur is putting her whole being into, wanting to be as grounded and credible as possible for the sake of the narrative and its themes, and I felt like her previous efforts in the aforementioned projects above, the actress succeeds in this in spades. It’s that believability and dramatic weight she brings that makes it so, and has been consistent in.
Primary supporting roles arrive first from Jeff Vernon as Roger, a man who has his own battles with finding who he is and his place in the world while a brief run-in with Heather causes unexpected inspiration that will impact them both more than immediately realized over the years. Kat Kramer plays Violet, the current owner of a generationally-passed down jewelry store who likewise will have an influence on Heather’s journey towards renewal of belief in love. Additional supporting turns then come through Linney Allen as Vivian, Heather’s mother who starts the events of the film and defines Heather’s character quite a bit, Patrick Stalinski as Simon, a happy-go-lucky cab driver who becomes perhaps one of the first men to NOT seem “typical” to Heather, Sergio Julian De Oliveira is Dr. Nolan, Heather’s therapist during a time when she’s needed help the most and was willing to seek it out, Keith Lopez is Leo, an L.A. matchmaker who could indirectly become a catalyst for Heather’s love life, Marci Krown is Leanne, a book store owner who aids Roger in his side-story adventures we see over time, and Tom Squitieri as Ted, a somewhat shady editor for a publishing company Roger works with for his poetic endeavors.
Other appearances are included from Dan Kennedy, Johnny Keatth, and Johnny Aerokix. So, in total, “Rings of the Unpromised” plumbs the dark depths of rejection in love, the ripple effect it can have, and its persisting bog of destructive self-deprecation it entails. But, rather than leave us with a bleak outlook, it turns us around and helps us be reminded that no matter HOW in the mire we believe we are, we CAN find help (IF we’re willing and open to it, mind you), we CAN rise above it all, and we CAN be fulfilled, whether single or attached, showing that life, and love, DO indeed exist in this stormy world if we have the fortitude to sail the tumultuous seas to reach that purportedly distant shore.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
