West Michigan

I was told (in a couple of different ways by a couple of different people) to remember that this was a low budget, indie film but honestly . . . I liked it as much as I've liked some major motion pictures.

Chole Ray Warmouth is nothing short of incandescent and the cinematography is absolutely, stunningly, perfectly executed.

I enjoyed the storyline very much and thought the script was very well done, though I worry the title of the film might not draw people into the (important) subject matter as much as it possibly could.

But that's a very small consideration and overall this was a simply beautifully done project.

Dialogue sounds scripted not genuine. Awkwardly self aware. Not my cup of tea but can see how some might like this.

Riley Warmoth knocks it out of the park in this one. Watch, watch, watch!

From the authentic beats of a brother and sister trying to understand each other to a teenager's private battle with depression to broader themes related to growing up and exploring deep beliefs, "West Michigan" takes the viewer on a memorable personal, relational, and literal journey. The performances from Chloe Warmoth and Riley Warmoth hit all the right notes, and the soaring shots displaying the beauty of the Michigan landscape and the affecting score create the perfect framework to tell this important story. An ambitious and effective debut for first-time director Riley Warmoth; I can't wait to see what's next.

OK, so the narrative story line on this one is a little ragged - one is never quite sure exactly what is and what isn't going on or what direction it's really supposed to be going in - but several of the key performances are quite good and Chloe Ray Warmoth in particular has a sort of American Emily Blunt quality that could develop into an interesting acting talent.

Additionally, the scenery and camera work is very pleasant and even the musical scoring works well.

So, for a young cast - and perhaps crew - it's very watchable.