Raspberry Heaven

Angie is a darkly disturbed young woman whose moods and personality appear to shift before our eyes. Her brother, Kurt, is another dark soul, whose joyless dedication to protecting his sister lets us know that, in spite of her sometimes hostile demeanor and aggressive tendencies, this girl needs a lot of protecting. As we are drawn into their lives, past and present, the audience begins to understand the mutual dependence and alienation of these two vulnerable central characters. The secondary characters are equally intense. Drawn with sensitivity and insight, the personalities who populate this taut drama are both believable and bizarre. Their psychological complexity infuses their pain and conflict with genuine humanity and elicits the compassion and concern of the viewer. The tension of the plot and evolution of the characters keeps the audience engaged. There are twists and turns, surprises and resolutions. The dialogue is well-crafted, pacing is quick but not breathless. An exciting first effort from a promising writer/director, Raspberry Heaven leaves us looking forward to what comes next from David Oas.