Archives for : movie
Who needs a complex story-line when you’ve got talented musicians to carry a film?
Matthew Porterfield’s official Sundance selection, I Used To Be Darker, is truly a beautiful and expressive piece of art starring and featuring music by singer-songwriter Kim Taylor. The songs played throughout the film are not only for background, but also an extension of the dialogue.
When Taryn (Deragh Campbell), a Northern Irish runaway, finds herself in trouble in Ocean City, she decides to stay with her aunt (Kim Taylor) and uncle (Ned Oldham) in Baltimore hoping to escape her problems. But little does she know her aunt and uncle are having problems of their own. Tayrn’s visit happens to be at a time when the two are trying deal with the end of their marriage. The couple and their daughter, Abby (Hannah Gross), are having an even harder time than they expected. Abby can’t even look at her mother. Her father is heart broken and trying to maintain a positive demeanor. All the while, Taryn does everything she can to avoid telling her own parents where she is.
The premise itself is intriguing, and I believe Porterfield accomplished the goal he was trying to achieve in the film. Everyone is trying to avoid dealing with their issues or talking about their problems. Some of the characters express their feelings through song, while others bottle up their emotions until finally unleashing it during a random outburst.
The most enjoyable scenes were when the characters finally expressed their frustration verbally. More specifically, one of the best scenes is performed by the exceptional Hannah Gross, when she randomly barges into Taryn’s room shouting at her to call her parents. In that moment, you are able to connect with Abby and the pain she is going through.
Articulated through song and music, I Used To Be Darker tells a heart-breaking story of family tribulations, people finding each other and letting each other go, and how to hopefully find love again. Though I can’t say this film will appeal to all audiences, music and indie film lovers should find it deep and touching.
I Used To Be Darker is out on DVD January 28th.
I Used To Be Darker Trailer HD
Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com
I’m going to try and not be too hard on this film, because it was Eric Ortiz’s first time directing, writing, and acting in his own full length film. Given that the film is based on true events, it is probably also special to him. The story is actually pretty interesting, but the film-making and acting is so amateur that it is hard to take anything going on in this movie seriously.
The film begins with Michael (Jereme Badger), previous druggie, recounting the events that happened during a fatal summer. Michael, his brother Dominic (Eric Ortiz), and their friend Ben (Anthony Ashmore) had given up all hope on life. Unable to accomplish their dreams, they settle for a construction worker job where they meet bad boy James (Nathan Spiteri). He might have been the only experienced actor in the film, and the most tolerable to watch. It might have been the Australian accent, but he at least fully committed to his character.
After Dominic pulls his antics on the boss, everyone gets fired. Angry at Dominic for causing him to loose his job, James pressures the guys to help him rob a bank. And it all goes down hill from there.
Ortiz might want to focus more on his screenwriting skills versus his directing and acting. He proved he could deliver lines quickly, but failed to have any meaning behind them. As far as camera work goes, I’ve seen better filming from my past production classes. The beginning had some awkward out-of-focus shots, and the movie had too many unnecessary scenes. I’m not sure who was in charge of audio, but the sound was all over the place. At times, it was as if the characters had been mute or maybe they were just mumbling; I’m not really sure.
The premise gives this movie so much potential. Had the movie been filmed differently, and with better acting it would have made for an admirable independent film. Sadly, Exit 727 fails to perceive the impact or message it was trying to get across.
Originally Posted on RedCarpetCrash.com