Actress Vanessa Leonard makes her directorial debut with "A Story Worth Living". Not only did she direct the film, she also wrote it and stars in the lead role. Joe Morales and Melissa Sue Zahs also appear in lead roles.
Allie (Vanessa Leonard) has struggled with mental illness, requiring her take medication and attend therapy sessions. When a new special someone comes along, Jake (Joe Morales) things are looking up for Allie, and he is just what she needs to have a new more positive outlook on life. I don't want to give too much away.
This is a well paced, touching romantic drama about the serious issue of mental health. The cast works well together. Vanessa and Melissa's real life friendship makes for great on-screen chemistry. "A Story Worth Living" gives both gals the opportunity to show just how great of an actress each one is. The full cast and crew did a good job on the film.
This is an important film tackling an important subject, that makes you think. I think we all have our times that we feel like we're caught in a funk. Some people aren't as happy as they may appear to be, so it's important to be there for our friends and loved ones, and really be kind to everyone that we encounter. Our actions may be the difference between a good day or a bad day for someone.
The end of the film has some facts and information about mental health that could be helpful to someone in need.
The DVD version has a cast commentary and bloopers that are entertaining and fun to watch. I enjoyed learning about the locations, and hearing stories from the cast. The waterfall in Hocking Hills is beautiful!
There is a facebook page for "A Story Worth Living" that has a lot of good pictures from the film premieres in various cities. There are also a lot of good positive postings on the page. They've also got a YouTube channel that has cast interviews, trailers, and even a short video from the film's Toledo premiere.
Be sure to show support for this talented group of people by rating and reviewing the film after you watch it. Let's let them know we enjoy their work, so they'll keep creating new films for us to enjoy. Go to the cast and crew list and click on their names, so you can see what other projects that they have worked on too. Try to watch some of their other stuff too. Some of my favorite films and music have been things that I've just stumbled upon. Who knows, you may find yourself some new favorite indie actors, actresses, or directors.
