Refuge

Rarely write reviews but feel I had to counterbalance the bad ones above. I also stumbled upon this one on Netflix. Sure glad it got a second chance there. I completely fell for this movie, it made me cry which hasn't happened in a very long time from movies. Someone complained of its being unbelievable but please which movie isn't, Lord of the Rings?. The most unbelievable part from a non-US perspective would be the parents leaving like that. But that aside I felt the story well written, the characters believable, the acting fantastic and the movie as a whole felt true and well just wonderful. Can't believe the rating (from the very few who seem to have seen it) is so low but note that Im not alone in really liking it. Interesting how people judge films so differently. This certainly struck a chord within me. If you like indie, drama and are a sucker for romance and feelgood don't miss out on this one. Luuuuved it!

I stumbled across this on Netflix and apparently this was perhaps a straight to DVD video, so I wasn't expecting much but it turned out to be a sweet, heartfelt drama. Amy is a young woman with a bright future and college scholarship but chooses to stay home to care for her younger siblings when their parents abandon them. The movie starts after she has been home for a while and is dealing with the frustrations of small town life with parental responsibilities of two teenagers. When a stranger, Sam, drifts into town with his own challenges and interacts with Amy, they each have to come to terms with what happiness means to them.

Loved the leads and wanted to see how their two lonely characters turned out. Could have been grittier. Screenplay seemed underdone at times. Extra star for the laidback soundtrack from (I think) the Milk Carton Kids. (viewed 10/16)

I've seen plenty of big budget and blockbuster movies, intricate plots, and success in the big-time.

REFUGE is none of these. It shows dirt poor and small ambition people making life better between themselves. As a writer and someone who likes seeing honest character portrayals, i give it 9 stars. It's too bad movies like this don't get a wide theater release. With a theme like this, it was probably too difficult finding a buyer, or getting Hollywood interested in this.

I like the way these young people found a way to happiness by coming to terms with their own problems, and that they realized they could help each other by being together. It's such a simple lesson, well written and delivered by the actors. I have more respect for characters created like these, than those caught up in the twists and turns of how to get rich.

So here's your totally average guy looses his job, gets in his truck, drives off to life in a new town. Walks into a joint (sportin a 4-day stubble), and presto-pronto hooks up with a totally unattached-available (but GTBW everyone), lovely-as-ever 'Krysten Alyce Ritter'.. binged.it/1tSopmT .. She immediately takes him home, rips his clothes off and 'sleeps' with him. Then two days later, he asks to move in with her, and in an eye-blink she agrees... talk about finding 'refuge.' It's a romanticized, sweet story, with a very decent cast. A majority of viewers will be finding it unlikely to say many negative things.. although the story, without too much argument, would have to be considered quite a bit more than fairytale unbelievable.