shaferpat

I was incredibly moved by this film. I went into it was no expectations other than to be blown away by Coleman Domingo, who always delivers a strong performance in every film he's in. I was most taken by the performance by his costar Clarence Maclin, Who brought such tenderness and compassion to his character and the other characters. It's really great to know that some of the other actors in the film are also formerly incarcerated men in the RTA program, and that everyone involved with the production has some equity with the film. I think with real life stories like this that is the way to produce a film in the most authentic and rewarding way possible.

I had no idea that Kiki Layne had such a beautiful voice. She and her costar Thomas Doherty have wonderful chemistry and musical harmony. Riegel does an incredible job of capturing the universal struggling artist narrative set in a gorgeous, naturalistic Americana setting. This film reminds me so much of one of my all-time favorite folk music films, Once. It also has traces of Nomadland and American Honey. I almost wish we got to know more about Dandelion's grief due to giving up her career to take care of family. But the film was still very grounded and had a lot of heart. The cinematography and music were also both so stunning!