When it comes to watching a new movie, my general rule is to give it twenty minutes, and if it isn't great, I move on. Like my motto says, "Life is too short to watch mediocre movies." So when I saw the unusual title "The Secret Art of Human Flight," I immediately put it in my queue. I must say, this little film took me by surprise. It hooked me from the first minute or two and never let go.
The film is one of those quirky, offbeat gems that reminded me of something Wes Anderson would make. It deals with the death of a loved one and how one recovers from it. It's from director H. P. Mendoza and after watching it, I think I need to look into his other works. Jesse Orenshein did a masterful job with the sensitive and at times playful screenplay and the cinematography was deftly handled by Markus Mentzer.
We encounter the protagonist Ben (Grant Rosenmeyer) in the early stages of grief. His wife Sarah (Reina Hardesty) has just suddenly died and he's in a state of shock. Not only were they life partners, but they were the creative team behind a successful series of children's books. He was the writer and Sarah was the illustrator. Needless to say, they spent a good portion of every day in each other's company. So his loss was especially hard.
When Ben goes into a virtual hibernation, his sister Gloria (Lucy DeVito) and her husband Tom (Nican Robinson) become concerned. They force him to get outside and have him soak up the fresh air and sunshine in his front yard before they take a short vacation. When they return a couple days later, they discover he hasn't moved the entire time. What's more, a detective, played by Rosa Arredondo begins snooping around. Apparently, the couple had a substantial life insurance policy, and she's suspicious that there may be some foul play involved.
Ben is totally consumed by his loss. We can feel his pain through his lifeless facial expressions and his catatonic state. Realizing he has to do something, anything to change things up, he's drawn to a YouTube video he's discovered. It's of a man standing on a precipice. When he jumps off, instead of dropping to his death, he actually flies up and soars into the sky. After doing some research on the dark web, he finds out who the man is and contacts him.
His calls himself Mealworm (Paul Raci), and he supposedly has a program where he can teach people to fly. Ben is so intrigued, he sends him an alarmingly large sum of money. In return, he receives an instruction manual, outlining the steps one needs to take to fly. Naturally, it's all quite shady. However, a couple days later, guess who shows up at Ben's door? You guessed it; it's none other than Mealworm himself.
Talk about an intriguing character. He's a longhaired old hippie, who has a colorful past. But he's in earnest regarding his personal flight program. And just when you think he's taking Ben for a ride, he hands him a wad of cash-the money Ben sent him, minus some travel expenses!
A good portion of the movie involves the offbeat and very entertaining steps Mealworm guides Ben through. It adds a bit of much needed wackiness, which offsets the stages of depression Ben is experiencing. He's also helped along by his encounters with a concerned friend Wendy (Maggie Grace) who's lost her spouse. She encourages him to find something to do, no matter how absurd or impossible it is and just go for it. If he completes it, it will be a huge step towards moving on. And that's exactly what Ben needs to do.
"The Secret Art of Human Flight" is a wonderful, uplifting tale that is entertaining from beginning to end. It's a fresh take on a difficult subject and I'm surprised this fantastic film isn't better known. But at least now you know about it! And if you enjoy it as much as I did, spread the word!
Currently streaming for free on Hoopla (with your library card) and Prime Video. Also available to rent on Apple TV and other services.
Note to parents: The film is not rated but I'd give it a PG-13.
