Up There

source: Up There

With low budget indies, it really is all about the writing and the dialogue to carry the film along. This film is not a good example of either. There was some decent scenery, sure, but even the UP was seriously underused in a film with "UP" in the title, I couldn't really tell it apart from anywhere in the middle USA. The plot just kind of happens, with low amounts of tension throughout, and there's a really stupid opening scene that screams "amateur hour" that sets the film up in a bad way. Bleh.

Absolutely loved the movie. All cast members were great. Loved loved loved. Truly enjoyed and would love to see more of all cast members. Zoe had me in tears. Congratulations!!!!!

I am so in love with the story and characters in this film! This is what indie film dreams are made of. It's was as refreshing as the crisp Michigan air.

6/10 Definitely worth your time!! This movie has a great story with great actors and will keep your interest. I love the small town setting with the woodsy mountainous back drops. The cinematography definitely shines in this area. It took me back to when I used to visit my grandparents. One major critique though. The opening scene where "Jack" walks into the retail store and is forced to trade his jacket for a phone charger from the over the top "I don't give a crap millennial" character, made absolutely no since and almost forced me to ditch right then and there, but I'm glad I didn't. The stunningly beautiful and talented actress Claudia Doumit who played the part of "Tina", I believe, was completely miscast. The throwback 90's grunge toboggan wearing "Clerks" type character just didn't fit in any way. Sorry :(...

Thoroughly enjoyed the film...loved the characters and the location. It portrayed a deeply mysterious story line which drew you in and made you deeply care for each character. Cudos to each actor especially Zoe Kanters. Thank you for such a wonderful film!

This film has a few redeeming qualities, the female lead has pretty eyes, and she shows some acting chops with (probably) confusing direction (as she and everyone else in this film are all over the place with motivations and dialogue). There's decent cinematography, but the "UP" tag was disappointing to someone who's been to the area many times, as the specific location plays almost no part in the film, it could've been anywhere in the Midwest. The male lead is just an absolute tool and needs some serious help from a dialogue coach. The "tool" aspect is intentional for the character, I know, but he's just unpleasant to watch. The largest glaring flaw with the film, however, is just a complete lack of tension. Sure, the male lead has a comedically over-the-top "bad" boss who throws out vague threats, and the protagonist has a menacing, overprotective brother, but any attempts to build real tension and drama falls flat, because of the absolutely inane dialogue. Truly, the screenwriter must've been an alien who observed humans for 6 months, and then was told to write a film in "human talk", because this film has to have some of the most unrealistic, "nobody would ever say these" lines, I've ever heard in a film. Oh, and there's an opening sequence at the very start of the film where the male lead is forced to give away a jacket for a phone charger, and it is just a stupidly bad, incredibly unbelievable way to open a film, that serves no real purpose and just makes the film worse in every possible way. It left a bad taste in my mouth and shouted loud and clear "You're watching a movie!!!" five seconds in (way to destroy "suspending disbelief" immediately into the film). Bottom line, skip it until it's free. Oh and all the perfect reviews? Fake. Obviously. You can easily spot them, glowing but less than 1 paragraph long, extremely vague on plot details, same description could fit many different films.

Has its flaws, but an absolutely wonderful performance from Zoe Kanters makes it worth the watch.

This is why I love Indie films. You can actually feel these characters and their emotions. You cried with them. You cheered for them. You laughed with them. Perfect charming location. Just a job really well done.

It's possibly a sad reality that many Americans, who lost family or friends to a senseless act, a mass shooting, random... As the line is uttered: "I met this girl and 10 years ago her parents and three best friends were killed in a shooting, right. And then..." "Why would that interest me? Why do I care about a story that happens every week in America? We've all been shot at. Most people don't know it because they haven't been hit." I'm an Australian, with family and friends in US and every couple of days I hear of a shooting at a school, a church, a shopping centre, a car park... I am saddened, but it seems to be desensitizing Americans, it's becoming the norm This movie shows, even if fictitious, what it can do to surviving family... I think it was a good movie, good story, good acting, deserve my 8 stars! And I can understand the 10 star rating by some as it may hit home even more for them! The low rating comes from reviewers who may not "feel" much anymore.....