Something, Anything

SOMETHING, ANYTHING (2014)

This film took me by surprise. In the first few minutes I guarded myself against what I expected would be a sappy sentimental journey, however the story and understated handling of it soon moved into territory that drew me into the silence. Yes, this is another indie movie with a loud, quiet presence.

Peggy, (Margaret), is the female Pretender. She tries to follow the path that is set out for her of supposed happiness. At the conclusion of the film I looked back to the introduction of Peggy's character and appreciate what a nuanced portrayal the actress, Ashley Shelton, gave.

Something/Anything will always be a Todd Rundgren album I love, but now it is also a slice-of-life tale that follows a young woman as, after a personal tragedy and betrayal, she pares down the superficial and searches for sanity and salvation in any sense of the word. The religious aspects made me uncomfortable, as religious aspects do, but they serve here to tell the story of this seeker who is eventualy found by fireflies and true loving friendship.

With 18:18 minutes left in the film a lamp is shown, which is the exact same stained glass firefly lamp that sits on my dresser and has been a beautiful part of my surrounding for decades since I fell for it in a little shop in Chicago. That was a fun bonus for me. If you don't know the lamp in person, it would be impossible to tell that it is made up of images of fireflies -- a lovely touch by the filmmakers who imbued their character study project with this kind of heart all the way through.