Daruma

I loved this film. It is filled with heart and humor. The characters are grounded in reality and flawed - like all of us.

The story is raw and honest. We've all been through the dark night of the soul- and director Alexander Yellen captures lead character Patrick's (played beautifully by Tobias Forrest)deep existential crisis.

Kelli McNeil's writing is strong and funny, and the pace keeps the audience engaged.

One of my favorite parts of the film is how beautifully it is shot. The soundtrack is surprisingly vibrant and upbeat.

Finally, it is a film that addresses the complexities of family and life ALONG with inclusive messaging. People have disabilities. Some are invisible, and some are visible. I am not in a wheelchair. One of my dearest friends is in a wheelchair, and guess what-his life is as real, important, valid, passionate, and complex as mine.

Support independent art and see this beautifully shot and told story!

This is a well-made film with classic indie vibes and a touching father-daughter relationship at the center of the story. It stars a pair of surprisingly strong actors with actual disabilities and very cute little girl. There are a couple of recognizable faces who are clearly there for more than marketing value. If you're a fan of Blue Bloods you'll appreciate a very different kind of role for Abigail Hawk (Detective Baker) and Barry Bostwick, who I know mostly from comedic roles and Rocky Horror, lends some genuine gravitas to this film and got me a little choked up. If you like indie roadtrip movies, definitely watch this one.

Uniformly excellent performances as the charm of a young child helps an angry, disabled man find redemption. The story arc is rather predictable, though it is very well written. One problem (which would be insignificant for many viewers, but as a frequent cross-country traveler, kept interrupting my engagement with the film) is that the time-sensitive cross-country trip from Arizona/Southern California to Providence, RI is shown to progress primarily on "back roads" -- this approach versus taking interstate highways makes for some very beautiful scenic shots, but the unrealistic nature of this, as well as some seemingly inconsistent topographical continuity, kept throwing me out of the film's believability.

Don't miss this authentic movie. It's a refreshing change from others in the same genre - the cast is real, the story is touching, and the ending worked for me! It's nice to watch something so well made and that doesn't leave you wishing you had rented or bought something else instead. It's long enough to be an evening, but not overly so, and the scenery is great. I especially liked the scenes with the (very) young child, being a sentimental person myself. Touching but not cloying. I found myself alternating between disliking the main characters and really liking them alot! A milestone, breaking the stereotypes movie!

I don't want to post any spoilers but if you've got kids (especially daughters) keep a box of tissues handy when you watch this movie because you will need them. I have a young daughter and watching Patrick go through the steps he needed to go through in order to become not only a better man but the man and the DAD that Camilla needed was cathartic and painful at the same time. I was watching him and watching his struggles (the actor who played him was very good too) and then watching his neighbor own up to his own mistakes with HIS own family... wow. I did not expect such depth and nuance from an indie film like this. It was really well done and I will be thinking about it for days to come.