WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
When a country music song wafts through the room, the artist plaintively crooning about the loss of love (and everything else, for that matter) in some poor soul’s life, does it not evoke a common thought–what if it all came back? What if that elusive “second chance” presented itself before you, beckoning to be taken in and nurtured. Would you actually do it? Former Seattle-based alt rock musician Brennan (Colin O’Donoghue) found himself at a crossroads seven years ago, choosing to leave that scene and take on a “grown-up” job at VeroTech. Little does he realize that the business trip he’s on in Nashville, TN will become the next turning point in his somewhat mundane, lonely life.
During a random stroll in the city to clear the mind, he experiences a totally unexpected, virtually miraculous, event–the lost love of his life, THE girl, Nora (Kristen Gutoskie), coming off her own bout with life drama via ex-boyfriend David (Chris Carmack)–standing before him. It takes only a short spell before the two begin reconnecting over drinks, reminiscing, and playful flirting, trying to ascertain what went wrong the first time while managing to still question each other’s current life choices and future prospects. However, this rekindling of what once was also serves to illustrate each of their inner insecurities, personal demons, and mutual hesitations about what is occurring again between them, begging the question–can love like this truly be revived?
Next, my Mind:
With raw, intense, dramatic, passionate, emotionally-charged fervor and underlying “be willing to stay true to your dreams” thematic elements, writer/co-director Ryan Lacen along with co-director Anthony Baldino deliver this formidable perspective on the tumultuous storm that is attempting to regain total adoration’s fire when two people have moved on and become something other than what they were. Fully utilizing the backdrop of Music City’s bright lights, alt-country-rock scene, barrooms, and cityscapes to put additional magnitude and scope to the couple’s ever-changing dynamic in reconnecting, much less their shared musical backgrounds and still-simmering aspirations, it acts as a no-holds-barred, heart-tugging (and wrenching) portrait of the realization that sometimes, trying to make lightning strike twice may not be in the best interest of either individual, no matter the depth of love displayed.
O’Donoghue’s performance as Brennan is acutely underplayed when showcasing the character’s quiet desperation to simply try and find a life he’s satisfied with, knowing where it really lies, but unwilling to pursue it having settled for mediocrity, but then explodes into unrestrained vigor upon seeing Nora again, which serves on multiple levels to wake him up and explore how he truly desires to see things pan out. Likewise, Gutoskie’s Nora is portrayed as a woman who has certain elements of her life together, yet others are falling apart and leaving her with not only her own inner strife to handle, but with a somewhat jilted viewpoint of love and relationships, until the chance run-in with Brennan stirs everything up and really causes her to ascertain how she sees herself and how she desires Brennan to see her. The two together are spirited and committed, the chemistry is undeniable, which works to perfect effect for this narrative.
Supporting turns from Carmack as Nora’s obsessive ex David (also, wink-wink, nod-nod for Carmack appearing in the city his former ABC-now-CMT-based show “Nashville” is filmed!), Jim O’Heir as Brennan’s overbearing VeroTech co-worker Steve, Valerie Jane Parker as a lady of the evening along with J.T. Hodges, Jessejames Locorriere, Cory Scott Allen, and Allee Sutton Hethcoat all form a solid foundation for the two leads. For this reviewer in total, other than one particular sequence of harsh language, “The Dust Storm” is an exceptionally well-done character drama willing to not shy away from the truth that love and relationships are not just all pretty and carefree, but filled with strife, anger, disagreement, and hurts. However, that is all to then demonstrate that when this pain is overcome, no matter the ultimate outcome, it will all be worth it.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
