WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
Channels of mourning that ebb and flow through us when suffering any form of loss can be either that which allows us to grieve and heal or otherwise initiate a season of sadness that can be an overwhelming weight around our neck, dragging us down, not even giving an inch of relief to come up for air. How we choose to see our circumstances in such times could be dictated by a myriad of factors, but in the end, it’s still all about the primary choice–let go or drown in sorrow. Yet–could there be something else? For Beth Reeves (Katie Vincent), the sudden, unanticipated loss of her brother Billy (Jacob A. Ware) has left a massive void within her. Wanting to escape, she absconds to the family cottage on the coast of New England. However, amidst conflicted, anguished reflection and being at odds with her mother Laurie (Susan Gallagher), a seductively dark force is also lurking to prey upon her tumultuous state of being–her own mind.
Next, my Mind:
Co-director/producer/cinematographer Usher Morgan is no stranger to creating overtly spooky atmospheres in his efforts (check out my review of another recent treasure from him, “Trapped Inside“, for proof). This outing, though, he’s teamed up with co-director/producer/actor Katie Vincent to deliver another narrative that is ominous and unsettling, but in a wholly different way, opting to take the eeriness and haunting elements of the tale into the all-too-real realms of depression, crippling emotional volatility, and depths of broken-hearted distress. Adding to this is a further view of how we cope with such pain to the point where we then find ourselves attempting to live a fantasy that doesn’t exist or even seem possible, yet carries a realism and tangibility that we desperately grasp onto, hoping it actually IS true, all again to calm the storm battering our hearts, minds, and souls during a life-altering event.
I think it’s why films like this, regardless of the story being fiction, resonate so deeply with me and, I hope, others in that thematically the facets being explored ARE so profoundly human, presenting a degree of relatability that in turn allows what’s being portrayed to transcend mere entertainment and very much hit home in a manner that elicits thought and, perhaps, even action on our parts when it comes to the tangible actuality said themes deliver and our own experiences. In this instance, it is palpable inner upheaval that we witness a character endure along with the subsequent means by which they choose to try and weather such crippling sadness, with the ramifications of it all cascading forth to possibly self-destructive ends. The narrative’s undeniably creative, slyly enigmatic, heart-wrenching finale is brilliantly executed and provides more than a worthy exclamation point to the events that unfold.
Visually the effort, as expected, flows wonderfully, embracing all that’s witnessed with finesse and defined intent, keeping us as the viewer totally invested from beginning to end. The literal landscape and small beachfront cottage that comprise the story’s New England coast setting meld together with equally fantastic purpose, becoming the perfect cornerstone to furnish the film’s evocatively atmospheric tone and edgy attitude while still maintaining a credible amount of genuine emotional clout. What I also appreciated here production-wise, and as the title would suggest, is the highly effective utilization of wind noise to emphasize the natural, psychological, and even supernatural (to a certain minor measure?) confusion and turbulence that embodies the film’s ultimate design and resolve, almost becoming a character unto itself in the placing of it in key sequences.
It is a pleasure to see Vincent continue to prove herself as an actress to watch, given the wide range of character types she’s played in both lead and supporting turns (check out “Prego“, “Pickings“, and “Trapped Inside” for instance, all under Morgan’s deft directing), and here is no exception through her role as Beth, a young woman buried under the weight of despair and burning anger over the untimely loss of her brother. Seeking refuge at their family cottage, Beth’s already fractured mentality begins to unravel further to the point of true frenetic disheartenment that seems to have no end or relief in sight. Hanging onto what she at first feels is the only sense of calm and consolation available, it soon becomes evident that healing and emancipation from her torment may not have the resolution she desired. It’s a poignant, emotive, and fiery display of an explosive, harrowing mental cataclysm, and Vincent embodies it with this intensely impassioned performance. As I have stated before, it’s no easy task to enact such chaos of mind and make it grounded and believable, but Vincent pulls it off with affecting dramatic flare.
The first primary supporting turn arrives from Ware as Beth’s brother Billy, a powerful force in her life and gone far too soon. His appearances here are a huge key to the narrative’s foundations, and therefore I won’t spoil anything. Suffice it to say, Ware provides a perfectly apropos performance that fits the story’s objectives to a “T”. The other appearance is made by the always reliable veteran acting talents of Gallagher as Beth’s mother Laurie, who’s own grief over the loss is only second to the concern she has for her daughter’s well being, even if offering support that isn’t exactly accepted. In total, “Windblown” is another absolute winner for Usher and Co., taking us once more the breach with a film that does complete justice to the fundamental narrative and character-based offerings indie cinema is so adept at producing, with this critic still wishing emphatically that the genre and associated community will get a larger, much-deserved time in the sun.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
