Wade in the Water

A true indie film that I recommend. Though provoking, dark and yet humorous at the same time. This one will leave you thinking which I believe is an earmark of a good film. A look at human nature, difficult situations and forgiveness all wrapped up in an unlikely friendship between two people.

This is a very cool indie movie about a man who discovers a dark secret and decides to take the law into his own hands. It very much has a "Blue Ruin" feel. It's almost darkly funny throughout. The two lead actors play off of each other well, and Danika Golombek especially is a talent to watch. This film really wowed me, highly recommended.

Saw this movie yesterday off Amazon Prime, the current 7.9 IMDB rating pumped up by a few dozen insider 10 ratings. For a low budget project, basically two actor driven drama, it's fine, really just an average movie (which is frankly good these days with so much absolute trash out there). I was fine watching this but would not see a need to recommend to others. Story a bit unrealistic in my opinion but it sort of works.

Wade in the Water is unique for an indie movie because it's a bit of a character study. I've been binging on a ton of indies, and they have a hard time with this kind of movie or at least doing it this well. The crux of the story is that the protagonist finds purpose after accidentally finding a secret none of us ever want to ever see. Tom E. Nicholson, who plays the lead, is in every scene and is mesmerizing to watch. He's an angry character that starts to grow on you. You get and understand his daily frustration. There is a little of him (or a lot) in all of us. Excellent watch.

The new dark semi-comic domestic drama "Wade in the Water" practically defies description. Still, I'm gonna give it my best shot. Kinna like a main character in this flick does.

Director Mark Wilson's interpretation of a mega offbeat story by Chris Retts takes us on a mesmerizing journey encompassing, among other things, at home telemarketing, independent So-Cal fast food joints, the U.S. Post Office, dancing on the beach and vintage typewriters. And that's not even a thorough list. Add to this eclectic mix the infinitely more troubling elements of family dysfunction, child molestation and murder and you have a movie that really must be seen to both understand as well as approach appreciation.

Tom E. Nicholson is flat-out Oscar worthy here. The reality that he won't even be nominated, or even seen, by The Academy takes not one damn shred away from his raw, raunchy and heartrending performance. Danika Golombek ("I Am The Night") matches Nicholson's standard as the completely unlikely other half of the weird relationship referenced in this review's title.

These two lost souls are caught in the current of a tense and tenuous bond that can not continue. And we as an audience are the benefactors of watching this most dubious pair navigate through unspeakably troubled waters.