His Stretch of Texas Ground

His Stretch of Texas Ground is a familiar story about the family, fighting one's past, and good ole Texas law and order. While the premise is one most audiences could get behind and understand, many of the more nuance notes in the film are loosely executed or dropped completely. Lacking a strong force to combat our hero, and a verifiable character arc for any of the main cast, His Stretch of Texas Ground fails to strongly deliver on any of its genre's central themes.

This was surprisingly one of the best films I've watched this year. Hands down. My only annoyance was with the runtime. 90 minutes?!? That was a bit of a reach. Joe Haladin > Quarantine Hero?

Smallest cast in a movie i have ever seen.

Writing, directorship, acting and everything else = Bad high school drama assignment.

A ninety minute movie seems stretched beyond patience.

Since I wrote this, His Stretch has won more film festival awards, winning Best Indie Feature, Best Actor, and Best Ensemble Cast at the Only The Best Film Awards, and at Filmhaus Berlin, winning the Honorary Mention Award for Best Actor, Best Feature, and Best Ensemble Cast.

For me, it is surreal to read these negative reviews. This film has won Best Feature Film at 6 film festivals, and our star Jeff Weber has won Best Actor at 2. And it may win more awards. And, I have attended public screenings of the film at 3 film festivals, and each time, the audience was very receptive and appreciative. They were absorbed with the film, and they enjoyed it.

Notice the lack of specifics; not a single reference to any character or story element. Did they even watch it? I have my doubts.

Would people actually do that? Write a nasty review about a film they haven't even seen? Yes, they will.

The story concerns a horrific crime that occurs in Arlettsville which shatters Sheriff Joe Halafin and his family. But then, on the very same day, another tsumani hits. Joe Haladin has to cope with it as Sheriff and as a man who is personally affected by it. The story has a lot of arc, and a lot of twists and turns. It is absolutely not plodding, as one reviewer put it. If anything, it's the opposite because it barrels along at a rapid pace.

One reviewer said it was the smallest cast he's ever seen. It has 29 speaking roles and many extras. How could it be the smallest cast he's ever seen? There are indie films with just a few actors, and I mean few enough to count with your fingers. There are big budget studio films with fewer actors, such as Castaway with Tom Hanks and All is Lost starring Robert Redford. There is absolutely nothing deficient about the size of our cast.

This film has plenty of action, especially for an indie film; it has stirring and poignant dialogue, and it builds up to a very gripping climax.

I'll close by reminding you that online forums are often filled with haters. I'm not saying that the film is for everyone because it depends on what kind of films you like. But, if you are a mature person, and you like stories the reflect real life and the struggles that people have coping with unexpected and unimaginable loss, then I believe you will enjoy this film.