Lightning Bug

A woman (Ashley Laurence) and her 2 kids leave Detroit to go live in a trailer in a small town. One of her sons, Green (Bret Harrison), aspires to become a special FX artist for horror films as well as the boyfriend of local video rental goth girl (Laura Prepon.) Mom has a bit of a drinking problem and a new boyfriend who likes to beat up on everyone, but the local religious zealots may prove to be an even bigger obstacle standing in the way of Green's dreams. "Lightning Bug" is an intense coming-of-age drama that will stay with you long after you eject it from your player. Ashley Laurence is terrific and almost unrecognizable here, channeling Mary Louise Parker southern gal from "Fried Green Tomatoes." Look for a "wink-wink" to horror fans where Laurence's character is grocery shopping and picks up a Fango with Pinhead on the cover for her kid.

A drama/thriller, set in the South, about a young boy who longs to escape the misery of his childhood and the misunderstanding of his hometown...

I have known about this film for many years, being a serious horror fan and thus a fan of both Robert Hall and Ashley Laurence (both very nice people, by the way). Not until now, with the Blu-Ray release, did I finally get around to checking it out.

Robert Hall impresses. How much of this is autobiographical and how much is not is hard to say -- I suspect it is much more dramatic than the real story. But it works here, and is legitimately frightening in a way that horror films are not -- abuse is a serious fear for many people. Spousal abuse and child abuse are sadly all too real.

The religious aspect I am uncertain about. There are obviously religious people in the South, and I think the film did a good job by showing that not everyone in town thinks Halloween is Satanic (the line for the haunted house is pretty long). I wish they had explained more about how the church was or was not Bible-based...

Fantastic performances by all. Prepon moves boldly away from her most famous role (Donna; That 70's Show)with ease. It is sad to know that many families go through this stuff everywhere in the world. Not recommended for families with abusive situations! It was great to see the film show support for a teen with dreams outside of what the adults wanted. The DVD has a ton of extras and I was really surprised by the amount since this is an "Indy" release. I loved the ending since it kept all in their true character form. If you watch the deleted scenes you will get more out of the older brother's character and watched the "Making of" featurette for a good amount of the actors' love for this film.

I bought this imported DVD misguided in its genre. I was expecting a horror movie, based on the cover of the DVD, and the sentence: "The Most Frightening Monsters Are All Around Us" highlighted in the back. However, "Lightning Bug" is a powerful coming-to-age suspenseful drama, with an excellent direction and acting. It is difficult to highlight individual performances, since I would be unfair with this stunning cast. However, the sick and disgusting devoted character of Ms. Duvet, magnificently played by Shannon Eubanks, irritated me with her hypocrite life and behavior. The Region 1 DVD has a beautiful package and many features, but unfortunately it does not have English subtitles or closed caption. The accent of some characters of this small Alabama town where the story takes place is quite difficult to be understood by a foreigner, and I lost some words along the story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Not Released"

Lightning Bug is an amazingly honest movie that touched me in more ways than one and I hope everyone gets a chance to see it. The cast is phenomenal and includes talents such as Bret Harrison, Laura Prepon, Kevin Gage, Ashley Laurence, and Hal Sparks just to name a few. Robert Hall brings to life the very real issues of domestic violence and chasing your dreams no matter what people say. It immediately captures the audience's attention and holds it until the end. The music fits in perfectly with each scene and actually adds an extra element. The film allows you to laugh, cry, and cheer throughout pulling from the audience a whole spectrum of emotions. I definitely recommend this movie.