Short Film Review “The Session” Life….explored, exhibited, unpacked, evaluated, reassessed, and reconciled, all in eight minutes of dramatic and engaging power
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First, the Recap:
I feel it safe to say that we do have a tendency to assume much when it comes to assessing others. This does happen to include not only those we may have just met or become mildly acquainted with, but also with those whom we have known far longer. We believe we just “know” or understand so much about someone, yet might come to realize we don’t at all. Not in any negative way, ideally, mind you. Surprise can come in any form….and from someone any age.
It is day one in taking on a patient solo for newly minted therapist Ashton (Mattea White). While her jitters are evident, so is self-assurance in what she feels she can handle. When her boss, lead therapist Dr. Thomas (Veronique Parker), assigns her 12-year old Carmen (Makinley Paige Montez), Ashton is not immediately pleased. When the session goes a little awry, can Ashton and random others in the office be beacons of insight that Carmen needs to assuage her own high degree of perception and outlook about life?
Next, my Mind:
There aren’t many other ways to state just how imperative well-being, in all its forms, is for us in this day and age. This has remained even more true post-COVID-19, when isolation and other factors associated with it caused so many of us to battle the loneliness and frustrations of being separated from our means to maintain routine and life overall. This is but one example of an event that can weigh upon us. Now, with this new short film project from writer/director/producer Ben Richardson, writer/producer Veronique Parker, producer Damon Waters, co-producers Andrew P.C. Smith and Cole Snipes, plus executive producer John Lewis, seeking counsel about one’s outlook on existing takes a beautifully orchestrated turn for affecting, compelling, and oh so requisite worthiness and exploration, accomplishing it in only eight minutes time. THAT is the total magic of independent cinema’s creative, intentional, and wondrous heart.
The narrative sees a new personal therapist taking on her first assignment with the kind of apprehensive yet utterly overconfident air that would seem to spell possible issues arising, which they do, but not in some overtly extreme manner. Instead, what we are delivered is an ultimately inspiring message about how we sometimes must put aside what we think is the best advice, consider the audience we’re speaking to, and be open-minded enough to realize we CAN learn from ANYONE. Perspective is everything, and how this film bring this concept to bear is simply poignant, effective, realistic, and endearing, while still being challenging us as people to contemplate precisely what we’ve seen and hopefully applying it. What I additionally appreciate here is how even-handed the film presents this FROM three varying viewpoints, ALL legitimate in their reasoning, and offers to us how each can be merged with the others to form an intelligent whole.
With mental health again being so important, there are several thematic elements here that get screen time. Covering subjects like how we can be caught up in our own perceived abilities that we might inadvertently dismiss someone else’s thoughts, how we can NOT consider whom we are speaking with and offer advice that isn’t quite the encouragement the other was seeking, what we relate to, what the inner damage may be that someone we speak with is harboring, the means by which we also tend to analyze others yet not always ourselves, how we need to LISTEN a LOT more, and seeing how accepting differing points of view can end up revealing the magnificent tapestry and complexities of life, but in a way we WANT to dive into while still holding to our OWN beliefs, it’s a journey of enlightenment and self awareness as well as opening up to others that makes the film so adeptly HUMAN.
The finale is quite honestly fantastic, adding a humorous yet fully apropos magnitude of emotional punch to the narrative’s purpose that allows everything to sink in with excellent, feel-good vibes while still being serious with its core topic. White is completely credible in such a perfect way here, imbuing her character with a grounded level of both confidence and innocent “arrogance” that plays so well into her role as Ashton, a new therapist ready to launch into having her first client. However, when said client turns out to be someone she feels is not challenging enough for her, the ensuing session destroys that notion with quietly emphatic potency, causing a once assured Ashton to take a step back and start questioning her skills. How this plays out from there is truly moving and so relevant to the story’s themes, with White embodying this sudden doubt then genuinely fresh understanding to a “T” and with understated energy that sells you on her character’s plight.
Likewise, and once more we see the example of the young acting talent that’s out there, Montez shines with a purposefully muted radiance that is just so believable, both delightful yet initially heartbreaking, via her role as Carmen, a 12-year old girl whose inner investigation about life gets upended when the advice Ashton provides her isn’t exactly motivating. Causing her to shut down more than open up, as well as to share her own more lighthearted vision of life’s path, Carmen soon learns that being willing to entertain unexpected views from equally unexpected sources can become an amazing and encouraging thing. Montez takes this role on with an ease of manner and totally winning personality that, like White, sells you on Carmen’s character with NO issue at all, a credit to the young actress playing her whose skills brought to the table can do nothing but keep going upwards.
Primary supporting roles arrive first from Parker as Ashton’s boss, lead therapist Dr. Thomas, someone we can immediately tell is both firm yet compassionate towards her employees and others while maintaining a professional nature that serves her well. Her part to play when things with Ashton go just a little off course is another believable one, and Parker just has that “everywoman” quality that makes Dr. Thomas someone to root for. Damon Waters plays Gabe, a father whose daughter is also at the office for an appointment and who turns into a totally unanticipated fount of wisdom for Carmen in the wake of her initial disappointment during her session. His particular approach and logic in what life is and how it unfolds holds a charming appeal to it that befits this narrative deftly, with Waters’ demeanor of kindness and sincere caring coming through in spades, thanks to a performance that is relatable and just REAL.
Additional supporting appearances are made by Angela Soldier as Carmen’s Mom, Etta Waters as Gabe’s daughter, Adrian Magaña, Austin Scurry, Leila Scurry, and Cora Waters as waiting room “denizens”, along with Zachgery Scurry as another of the facilities therapists we see in passing. So, in total, “The Session”, based on true events, is one of those NECESSARY films that astutely speaks to the significance of how we choose to ascertain our lives, the truths that are harsh, and the ones that can set us free, all while realizing that it really is a combination of them all that creates that which we so often neglect in the wake of uncertainties we carry….ourselves and the insight of others that can manifest our emancipation.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
