Division

What happens when political sycophancy goes over the edge? Bad things happen as they do In this startling piece of filmmaking.

In a word, WOW. There are so many virtues to the film starting with its overall look. The visuals were clear and precise. As someone with both a hearing and vision challenge, the cinematography and sound made the viewing easy and enjoyable.

Jaimie Andrews is the star and Executive Producer as well as the writer, and she has fashioned a script that is gripping, provocative, and compelling. Creating and filming dialogue to reflect the realities of the pandemic is not an easy thing and can often turn to too much tell and not enough show. Andrews understood the challenge and the dialogue was well paced and did the job without slowing the action.

Using cell phones, speeches delivered to the camera, and the split screens more than offset the amount of verbiage needed to fill each scene.

For an independent film, the cast was exceptional. In addition to Andrews as the love torn, sympathetic and tragic Andi, her male antagonist (Joshua Drew Payne) was superb as a smoldering presence turned lethal. His equally mind-numbed housemate (David Lee Carver), Andi's girlfriend (KD O'Hair), her neighbor (Corrye Harden) and fiancée (Curt Bonnem) all made their small parts larger.

In sum, DIVISION, despite its ugly themes and tragic ending, was an exciting surprise and one worth adding to the political film library of the runup to the 2024 election cycle.

How to weigh in really without bias, now, so deeply a fan of Jaime, Curt, David Lee, Katie, JW, Corrye, Rebecca, these people, this cast, this crew. Never in my life have I fallen in love with a group people like I did on "Division." Thank you. One might could die and go to some strange heaven.

The result of wonderful people working on something wonderful? This! Something felt. Something earnest. Something kind. Something crushing and something so so restorative. These are the types of films I want to make. And these are the types of people with which I want to make film. Thank you all for choosing me. I love you dearly.

Xo jP.

IN A NUTSHELL: This political dramedy was directed by Jason Winn, and written by Jaime Andrews. Jaime Andrews also stars in the movie.

According to the studio, the story is about Andi James, a minor actress who has moved to Atlanta with her inattentive fiance, Zach. With nothing else to do with her time during the pandemic, she starts vlogging. In doing so, she connects deeply with her fan, Mason, and is tempted by his romantic attention. With a mother who just wants her to have a baby, her friend Delaney, who fans the flames of her desire, and her neighbor, Aya, who confirms how out of place she is in her new neighborhood, Jaime attempts to connect to the chaotic world around her. As the volatile presidential election approaches, Jaime is horrified by the machinations of the Trump regime, not realizing that Mason is not only a MAGA follower but is willing to go to great lengths to keep Trump in power, under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Mark. When Jaime and Mason's inevitable confrontation goes viral, it leads to consequences for them both which ripple far beyond her quiet southern street.

THINGS I LIKED: When the movie starts, we see these words written on the screen: "This story is true...except for what isn't." ha ha That made me laugh and instantly intrigued me.

I hadn't seen most of the actors in anything before. The cast includes Jaime Andrews, Joshua Payne, David Lee Garver, Amanda Celine Miller, K. D. O'Hair, Sandra Lee-Oian Tho and James Carey. I just happened to watch Jerry & Marge Go Large and immediately recognized K. D. O'Hair in that movie after seeing this one!

Jaime Andrews is talented and has a natural, fun vibe with a snarky attitude. I'd like to see her in more films. Because she wrote the film, I wonder if her character shares her own, personal political views or did she create a character on the extreme side of the Democrat party.

Joshua Payne gave off a little Matthew McConaughey quality, mostly for the accent, I think. I really wanted to trim his beard every time he was on screen. And that hanging snot scene...EESH! He and Jaime Andrews had some chemistry on-screen and I wondered where the story would take us. I was not prepared for the ending!

The movie takes place in Georgia where I lived for 15 years! You can feel the Southern Hospitality there. My family and I loved living there, but OH, that humidity and those nasty fire ants!

We see lots of clips from real-life newsreels that make it look like everything that happens is authentic.

The dialogue is entertaining and sometimes, even profound.

There is a lot of dark humor and irony in the storytelling.

Some of the scenes truly capture how we felt during quarantine.

I love it when movies reference other movies. Listen out for the mention of When Harry Met Sally. That's such a great movie.

One thing the movie does very well is to illustrate how deeply divided some citizens of our country are, even to the point of true hatred for those on the opposite side of the political spectrum. It's a sad statement on the state of our country and how far we have gotten from the "E Pluribus Unum" idealogy our Founding Fathers hoped for. Are we doomed as a country if we can't come together and talk about our differences? The movie will definitely make you feel something, which is the mark of a powerful indie film.

The movie also takes a look at "settling" when it comes to relationships. Would you rather have a relationship where you feel comfortable or one that feels risky and exciting?

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Some of the characters are foul-mouthed jerks. I wouldn't really want to hang out with any of the characters in the film.

I didn't like the fiancé at all. You could tell the black dog didn't like him either in a scene at the end of the movie because it was trying to get away from him.

Both sides of the political spectrum are extreme representations. You'll probably be offended and angry by something said or done in the movie no matter which side you're on. The film makes Republicans look like uncaring, gun-toting, violent crazies. Democrats are represented as drugged-out baby killers who think they're morally superior for their woke idealogy. All of them spew profanities and unfair judgments on one another. Do you think those types of characters truly represent the average citizen and how they feel about politics today?

Some viewers might complain that the movie just meanders and moves too slowly. What do YOU think?

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be completely bored.

Profanity, F-bombs, crude and offensive language, and the "N" word An unmarried couple lives together.

Talk of people who have a drinking problem.

Two women do drugs together. A character talks about her trips.

Alcohol, cigarettes Kissing with tongue Guns and blood.

Crude conversations.

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I just watched this film and I now need to go for a walk and get some air. It was a mix of funny, intense, beautiful, and heart-wrenching. Jaime and her co-starts are all perfectly cast and give an outstanding performance. The characters are so relatable and touch on everything from relationship doubts to the sometimes unexplainable and irreplaceable connection between two friends. It's also a great depiction/exploration of what can happen when two people bond over a trauma and opposing POVs collide. The two main characters, Andi and Mason, have otherworldly chemistry and emotionally raw dialogue. The film is brave and completely engrossing. It doesn't feel like watching a film, but more like you're watching real life. Highly recommend but be prepared to take some time afterward to reflect and breathe.

I'm lucky. I got to see this previewed in a large theater. I loved it. It is amazingly timely. I don't want to give anything away, but for me, it captured not only the division of today moral and ethical problems, it hit our political climate on the nose.

There is nothing to compare this movie to that we have yet seen. And it may be irritating to some of your friends or relatives, but to me, as a queer, liberal woman, it shows exactly the divide of todays reality. Don't get me wrong, it has something for everyone. I'd go so far as to say that one day it should be shown, as a prerequisite in schools.

But beside the cerebral aspects, this movie has heart and bits of the writer/directors fine wit and wicked sense of humor also.

I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.