WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
The inadvertent and/or unforeseen occurrences which come into our lives can be harbingers of hope or helpless frustration. We long for it to be the former, yet often feel it tends to be the latter which then manifests into decisions that must be made for the sake of inner peace and absolute necessity. However, when on the surface it seems utterly clear what actions are required, what then transpires when the means to actually carry it out appear entirely out of reach? Rachel (Brittany Snow) struggles to simply make ends meet, working at a local diner, residing paycheck to paycheck, and now facing a daunting choice given all she already must deal with. But, as she considers all that’s come about to bring things to this point, what are the underlying truths to be revealed, and how will it impact her, and her family’s, life moving forward?
Next, my Mind:
What has come to pass, what lies IN the past, the pain we try to keep hidden, and the initially enigmatic then outright jarring nature of things yet to be unearthed all reign supreme in this Oscar qualifying 22-minute short film from writer/director/producer Nazrin Choudhury, producer Sara McFarlane, co-producers Laura D’Augello, Tiffany Nicole Massey, and Phillip J. McLaughlin plus associate producer Madelyn Shaffer which not only candidly wears its raw emotional volatility on its sleeve, but ushers forth equally heartbreaking, poignant, purposefully provocative, blunt force statements about two subject matters that sadly become both points of contention and necessary awareness-raising in their intent and execution here. Having to be confronted with the evils, whether perceived or actual, the world currently harbors is nothing we WANT to have to admit to or converse about. But folks, it IS imperative issues here are faced, resolved, and in at least one instance presented here, prevented from being an ongoing problem.
Brilliantly written and just as adeptly directed to maximize the impact it weighs in with from start to finish, the narrative which finds a struggling mother at her wits end now having to handle an even more unanticipated and definitively unplanned circumstance that threaten to undermine not just her and her existing children’s lives, but possibly their future as a family moves forward with absolute, well-paced momentum that pulls your heartstrings as it unfolds, delivering a highly dramatic, quietly intense, but still evident building up of events that culminates in what this critic felt is one of the most unsettling and unforeseen finales I’ve witnessed amongst the Oscar qualifiers I’ve had the opportunity to see and review recently. Truthfully, it was the kind of dynamic hand-to-mouth disbelief, wrenching, tear-inducing moment that brought back to mind my reaction to the ending of one of last year’s most compelling shorts, “Triggered“.
But, it is the magnitude OF this piercing collision to your soul that reminds us not just of the foundational themes being explored, but also simply about the genuine beauty and magic of QUALITY filmmaking and those behind it who are just immensely smart in how they can craft a story such as this which HAS this kind of persuasiveness and objectives behind it and does so in only twenty-two minutes. I’ve seen feature length films that couldn’t even TOUCH something like this. There’s that intentionality, that burning drive, that total FEARLESSNESS that I always feel indie cinema brings to life, and this film is yes another complete example of this. And, as is also the wonder of story and character-driven work, additional thematic targets rise to the surface here, including the bonds of mother and children, the deep desire to provide for one’s family, holding onto the past that can encourage or haunt us, recollection vs. the present, the sheer burden of financial conflicts, feeling overwhelmed by secrets and associated decisions that MUST be made, tackling the realities of existing mindsets about integral issues, and just wanting PEACE in knowing all CAN be well.
On many levels, even this feels like an incomplete list given the film’s narrative, but there are just unequivocal TRUTHS being shown that MUST continually find there way into the light so that TANGIBLE and POSITIVE resolutions can be achieved, though as we still also witness here, that is far easier said than done. It’s a sobering reflection of our times. Snow is utterly amazing in the degrees of understatement she showcases which still carry an underlying, acute earnestness and engaging energy via her lead role as Rachel, a young mother whose ongoing and draining encounter with making ends meet for herself and two small children gets upended to another level of desperation and strain upon learning a fact she didn’t want to believe occurred. Now forced to make a choice, much less how to make it happen, that she cannot see the way to do, it becomes a journey of self-discovery and recollection that will also mark a severe turn in her family’s lives.
It’s a performance filled with both muted and unreserved passion thanks to the veteran actress’ talents and it makes the film worth viewing in itself when paired with the story taking place. Primary supporting roles come about first through Juliet Donenfeld and Redding Munsell as Rachel’s 10-year old daughter Maddy and son Jake respectively, both of whom once more prove that the skills possessed by child actors in this day and age continue to be a triumph, as both Donenfeld and Munsell inbue their characters with grounded credibility. Jud Tylor is Sarah, a front desk nurse at a hospital in Illinois Rachel has traveled to. Ashley A. Williams plays Stella, Rachel’s good friend who watches her son for her while she makes a needed trip. Taryn Leggett is an attending nurse at the Illinois hospital Rachel arrives at. Sloan Muldown plays a younger version of Maddy.
Additional supporting turns arrive from Mo Collins as a patron at the diner Rachel works at and who becomes a catalyst for the decision she must choose to act upon. Neil Napier appears as the diner’s rather apathetic owner. Peter Breitmayer plays as less than cordial diner patron who seems to make it point to treat Rachel like an object rather than a person. Adam Lee is Stella’s son. All embody their roles to the requisite purpose their characters represent, and do it well. NO small parts in this critic’s opinion. So, in total, “Red White and Blue” tackles its ambitions with unapologetic, stirring, evocative, and deeply meaningful potency, crashing into your heart with the force of a freight train, yet doing so with a finesse that allows for its ultimate intent to remain a mystery until the right moment of greatest meaning, which is the mark of fantastically creative and truly remarkable cinema.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
