maddhypes-72157

I literally have no idea what the other reviewer was talking about. I saw this gem at the WGA and it received a standing ovation of over 500 people. It is an exceptional film with intelligent characters and an intricately woven story that demands attention rather than the all too often movie goer gives. This is an exceptional important film which shines a light on the mental health field and in particular Bipolar disorder. After his wife goes missing during a whale watching expedition a forlorn Joseph Hawthorne believed to be innocent by half the town and vilified by the other half becomes a self repressed reclusive and goes off his stabilizing medication of Lithium. A year later a reporter with a resume but little knowledge of the intricacies of a small town decides to get the skinny of what actually took place. At the same time the ill fated brides brother returns from a 10 year stint in a state facility for manslaughter, just in time to exact his revenge on the man he feels robbed him of his baby sister. This is an intelligent film with demanding performances by Anthony Gaudioso as Jack Lee, coincidently Gaudioso, also wrote, directed and produced the piece, no small feat. The incomparable Jonathan Pryce appears as the films narrator and the complicated ID of our protagonist Joseph Hawthorne (Benard) Films like this are tricky and this film no doubt is good, actually better than good as it weaves three complex story lines into one creating a Hitchcockian cat and mouse between the reporter, Jack Lee, (Annabelle Lee's brother) and its central protagonist. This is not an easy story again and a bit high brow without the pretentiousness one might assume. It's only shortcomings are that of it's restrictive budget. Shot only on750k the film for at least this view was a winner. The only restriction is the films budget, a mere 750k and for that the filmmakers have a winner.