The Wake of Light

We begin the film on a soft, gentle and quirky walk through a small town in California as we follow a lady selling fresh well water to the thirsty. The town is like a lot of rural America; dilapidated buildings alongside the loyal citizenry who hang on to the rural dream. The town struggles to gentrify without losing the rustic charm. We follow this lady to her home at the end of the day and discover she's the caretaker for a scary-looking giant, her father, who's been debillitated by some medical trauma. The lady is an inspiration, always the optimist, dedicated to family, carving out a minimal existence and getting by just fine. One day is like any other and has been for years until she crosses paths with a wanderer whose car broke down in her town. She's the reluctant one. He's the relentless one as they try to find romance without getting hurt. Unlike so many 'romances,' the story ends in an unusual but very satisfying way. I won't spoil it for you.

Excruciatingly slow moving. Lacking in any real character development. The plot could have made for a much better film, but alas, failed miserably. Could have been filmed by a student or two with a budget of a few hundred dollars. The whole thing seems to be drowning under a really loud piano, which just gets irritating after a short time. I had to force myself to keep watching, but, in the end, I regret the time wasted!

The premise was sweet and it was pretty well done, but there just wasn't enough to it. So much more could have been done to round out what could have been a good film. I realize it is an indie and I appreciate the effort, but it was only about a half hour of story and the rest filler. And that awful piano music! Maybe it's because I'm a musician (mainly pianist), but that plinky, repetitive piano music was way over the top--like nails on a chalk board. Fortunately, there wasn't much dialogue so I could mute most of it.

Gotta love filmmakers that push the limits. This film will connect with you in ways that no other film will - it is truly special and deserves being seen. Do it!

I found this movie to be a welcome relief from the norm. The story is thoughtful and beautifully shot. Though it's a drama it's not too heavy. It's inspirational, and ends positively, but its not predictable. The actors were wonderfully human and relatable. It would be too simple to say it's a detox from the hyper-everything about so much of life today, but that it is. You just leave with a positive feeling that sticks with you for a while.