WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
The monstrosity of personal humiliation from both within and without. It sounds justifiably awful, and it SHOULD be, given the fact that this is an actuality for FAR too many people in this world. When all that is strived for is to simply find acceptance and inclusion among other human beings, much less those we truly consider friends, how much more does the pain from having to face those words and/or actions rise up, especially if some is self-inflicted, with the results of it all nothing short of completely destructive? Devon (Kabir McNeely) has these demons to stare down when it comes to his own search for happiness, friendship, and just to feel free to BE who he is, even as the factors drastically impeding him from attaining it threaten to end not only his thinly clung to notions of hope, but potentially his life.
Next, my Mind:
Over the recent years, this critic has had the chance to review two previous short film efforts from writer/director/producer Kabir McNeely, which are 2021’s “Keith” (review found here) and 2022’s “My Name Is Moe” (review found here). And now, with this third project that comes courtesy of McNeely plus producer Jonathan Rollheiser and executive producer Olivia Sheng, there is no other means by which to say it that the San Francisco-based indie filmmaker is definitively making continuous, unfeigned, and highly necessary statements about self-image and grander mental health awareness issues that remain an absolute MUST in this post-COVID world where those precise facets of life (among, unfortunately, a myriad of others) are in the spotlight to a magnitude greater than, I feel, we’ve ever seen. Regardless of how MUCH we’ve read or heard about these topics, we should NOT at ALL allow them to just fall by the wayside, undiscussed, unheard and untreated.
Through a narrative that boldly and unapologetically thrusts us into the life of a young boy whose only desire is to have a joyful, fun, and fulfilled existence but finds that the “standards” of a warped, social media-driven, shallow-minded, and judgmental societal mentality are more than he can bear on top of a devastating loss, even from those few he believes he could trust the most, the film takes no prisoners and makes use of its abbreviated timeframe (21 minutes) to emphasize its foundational thematic gists with heart-wrenching impact and straightforward, albeit HARD, truths. Honestly, this critic sometimes finds himself thinking that it would be this style of uncomplicated but OH so realistic and relevant depiction centered ON the all-too-real dangers of blatantly cruel and uncaring circumstances leading to severe self deprecation that people might WANT to say “Oh, ANOTHER film about this”.
Folks, as stated earlier, if we EVER get “tired” of seeing it, then it’s time for immediate self assessment and a retooling of our thoughts, hearts, and souls, because the LAST thing we should be doing as human beings is to only be worried about just “getting ours” at the cost of having compassion and concern for others as well. It is this compelling objective (again, in my opinion) that infuses this film, just like McNeely’s other two efforts mentioned above), with the depth of intentionality it has, forcing both provocative AND evocative reactions from the viewer, but solely in a manner by which to elicit the levels of enlightenment and perceptions of the elements involved that might spur us TO THINK and TAKE ACTION when we arrive in those places, whether personally or through others we know, of genuine struggle and admit the need for HELP. Thematically, the film succinctly but very effectively covers the painful and seemingly insurmountable obstacles of bad body image, depression, anxiety, anger, fear, hopelessness, loss, the cry for acknowledgement, and coping mechanisms but DOES also at least ultimately provide the most important aspects by the finale–compassion and love.
McNelly has always struck me as the kind of individual who utterly strives to ensure that credibility of both story and characters is paramount for maximum influence and associated emotional reverberations that his films aim for, and so it is no surprise or exception that he successfully garners exactly this through his lead role as Devon, a young man of affable and grounded attitude who only seeks to know that he is appreciated for who he is while in the wake of a devastating loss. But, he soon discovers that even those closest to him appear more antagonistic than supportive and as the spiral begins, Devon’s choices could be disastrous–or ideally lead him to the inner release and healing he needs. It’s another blunt force, raw, even harrowing performance that McNeely produces here, filled with completely believable degrees of both explosive and stirring energy that allows this character to, in many ways sadly, one we can relate to so well, which only makes it that much more important that what we see McNeely enact through the character of Devon becomes the catalyst for change and transformation in our world’s currently misguided thought processes.
Primary supporting roles arrive first through Emily Steelhammer as Devon’s mother Janice, a woman who we see is caught between abject frustration at her son’s issues he would more try to disavow than admit in order to get the help he needs and the doting, unequivocally caring mother she is that loves and adores her son with all she is. This dichotomy of attitude is deftly portrayed by the actress who, like McNeely, imbues the character with totally feasible emotive power. Maximilian Itsikson plays Cameron, Devon’s best friend who becomes something of an enigma at times when at first his companionship towards Devon is unquestionable (as is his understandably exasperated manner towards him in certain instances) but yet then turns to other situations where he doesn’t actually appear to be legitimately concerned about his friend’s fraying well-being. But, it is how Itsikson plays the character that allows this all to decisively come through with the effect it should and does have.
Additional Key supporting appearances are made by Lisa Burton Guevara as Chloe, a school or otherwise professional counselor that Devon has met with and who only wants to see him liberated from the internal tumult he’s experiencing, even when he’s pushing that assistance away, and Gary Rudman who has a brief but very integral part to play in events, though I will not spoil that here. Other appearances are made by Walter Orozco, Fox Cron, Phillip Duong, Rico Jacob, Connor Littooy, Melania Jade Sulca, Eric Guerin, and Kenneth McNeely. So, in total, “Devon” most assuredly carries on the well-established and still building forays into mental health, coping with it, its destructive patterns, and the subsequent requirement of better consistency in addressing and caring for those being so directly and excessively touched by it, therefore to then have restored faith in seeing authentic healing and reconnection with kindness, love, and consideration towards our fellow human beings. Seriously, how could we NOT want this so that we might be able to live in a MUCH better world to be enjoyed by EVERYONE?
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
