Vidas en pedazos

Novice director Christopher Cantwell creates an inviting sense of tension and interaction, always preserving the human side of the story to best retain viewer attention. This film is a great example of a beautifully crafted and photographed, low-key thriller that doubles as a terrific character study about marginalized people. They easily could have turned this setup into a thriller, but instead, they've made a quiet, thoughtful film. Every frame is filled with significant, illuminating details. Bravo to writer Darren Lemke for not over-Hollywood-ing this story. The casting was excellent, and Paul with the young British deaf actor Danny Murphy were terrific together, with Paul playing a wounded bear growling his lines and Murphy delivering a fully realized performance. The critics were too hard on this gem. It's a well deserved 9/10 from me.