500 Miles is a small independent film with a large dose of raw emotion. Up-and-coming actors Ebony Nave and Pete Valley bring the central characters of Emily and Shane to life through solid performances.
Emily's anger has been leading her down a dark path. She's experimenting with drugs, finding herself on the wrong side of the law, and eventually she is kicked out of high school.
Rather than return home to the foster family she's disappointed, Emily instead steals a car and hits the open road. As luck would have it, she breaks down near a small country town, where the kindly Shane takes pity on her. In Emily he sees a younger version of himself—he too has faced his fair share of challenges.
In this small town the people are genuine and friendly, piercing the emotional armour Emily has worn since the tragic events of her youth lead her down the wrong path. As her hardened façade begins to dissolve through the kindness of strangers, she finds herself exposed and has to choose between the anger she's held for years and the vulnerability that comes with letting people in once more.
The film has its flaws, but there are also many strong signs that point towards the emerging talent of the filmmakers. The cinematography richly captures the Queensland countryside, and the film deals with topics that are familiar for many, yet ignored by bigger productions.
It is refreshing to see an honest telling of how overwhelming and unforgiving grief can be when it's thrust upon you at a young age. No doubt it will resonate with many young people similarly afflicted.
In an age of high gloss teenage dramas, it's nice to find a film that is willing to tackle the challenges of broken youth, and to ponder the ability for kindness to turn a person's life around.
