Wildlike

source: Wildlike

Drama, fantasy, comedy - whatever the story genre, good ones have one thing in common. Truth. The story needs to tell the audience of something they know, something they have forgotten or something they can now imagine. Case in point, two films I've recently watched illustrate success and failure clearly. Both involve children being sent away to visit with less than careful parents. I intend to post this review at the site of both films, because the contrast is clear. Wildlike & The Visit both are stories about children being sent away to visit with relatives, mistakenly, by troubled parents. Both are stories about horror, but, where one tells us about evil, the other tells us bad puns. In Wildlike we see a young girl sent away by a defective mother who can't handle taking care of herself or her child. In this movie we walk in this child's shoes and understand the choices she makes. The evil she faces is banal, quiet and could go unnoticed. We see the past and current trauma this child has endured in the acting and writing. The truth is this is everyday evil, the kind that we won't change without understanding it. In the Visit we see a sister and brother sent away by a mother distracted by her own issues. Children know when their parent's are not competent. It affects them and causes doubt and tension. Instead of reflecting that, these siblings are snarky, self involved, smart alecks who are not cautious, vigilant or concerned. The danger these kids face is overt and direct early on, but they seem not to take it serious. Neither can the audience. The truth in a similar film of M. Night Shyamalan's, the Sixth Sense was not the horror the child faced, that only made the film compelling. The truth was about the adults learning to respect the child's view of reality. Their is no such kernel in The Visit.

It would be a mistake to say that this film could've worked without the strong, effective performances by the two main characters. They do a great job of carrying the film, and probably make it better than it has any right to be. Don't get me wrong, that's not to say that the film isn't good. It is, in fact, but I do wish the screenplay had been refined just a little bit more in order to really have the full effect of what the film's ambition is aiming for. As it is, it still gets its point across pretty well, and it definitely deserves a wider audience than the one it has gotten. Definitely recommended for all people interested in a sensitive, subtle film.

The early section of this movie has a scene of sexual abuse which was very difficult to endure, although it was necessary for the plot and understanding the main character and was not sensationalized or particularly graphic. Once through that, I really enjoyed the movie, it's plot, characters and premise.

If you havea spare hour or so watch this. Not much going on iam afraid it except great scenery. Yes, the 2 lead roles were very good. It was so slow i baked a loaf of bread and a couple of batches of scones as there really wasnt any need to pay any real attention as nothing happened. You could have watch 5 mins of the start 5 mins of the middle and 5 of the end and got the full story.

At no time did I not feel for the female lead in this movie. The actress portrayed the huge struggles in her life with her face and eyes despite the minimal script, or because of it... and all the trauma of being abused, afraid, entrapped, alone and homeless, and then surviving as best she could, with utmost realism. Not once did she err on the side of overacting or melodrama. The male leads were also perfectly cast and did an excellent job. I have no idea what was going on with the countryside in the Alaskan mountains, whereby either the camera was hand-held and the scenery was jumping or it was superimposed... that was weird but only lasted for about 10 minutes of the movie... not in a big way but it was a little amateurish. I would have liked to have learned why the girl's father died... we didn't and so, under the assumption that her mother was an addict who was supposed to be in 'treatment' but who checked herself out and disappeared, did this poor young protagonist have a father who od'd, was dysfunctional etc etc?? I got the impression that the situation presenting in this movie regarding the sexual abuse was not new to the girl in the role and that perhaps this 14 year old had just being going the 'easy route' with a long list of abusive mother's boyfriends for years... it certainly wasn't portrayed as if this kind of abuse was new to her, rather that the way she had learned to cope with it was to deal with it as per the movie shows. In my experience, if a young person feels unsupported and that there is no one who cares or to turn to, they develop low key coping mechanisms but begin to show the long term side effects of the abuse as a 'life skill'. All very well done until the worst ending in living history, making me feel I had just sat and watched an intelligent and powerful movie until the director or somebody got bored and yelled 'cut' without any even vaguely, not even close to an intelligent ending. I have no idea what happened. Frankly, the guy should have been taken to the police and so on. No idea what happens in the end. I was left feeling like a pancake... flat and covered in layers of sugar coated junk.

Had the pleasure of viewing the film WildLike at the Phoenix Film Festival and just loved it. Also, really enjoyed the Q&A with one of the film's producers after the screening. WildLike contains an Engaging story, excellent performances and the Alaska scenery earning a 10+ rating. Cast: Ella Purnell (Mackenzie), Bruce Greenwood (Renee Bartlett), Brian Geraghty (Uncle), Ann Dowd (Jeanie) , Gerard Funk (Tommy) & Diane Farr (Mom) all brought their 'A' Game and then some. Again just loved this movie and highly recommend this film to those who cherish strong plot in the hands of gifted actors.

The big winner of the festival (15th Annual Phoenix Film Festival) was Frank Hall Green's "Wildlike". Winner of Best Acting Ensemble, Best Screenplay and Best Picture which pulled out all the stops in its breathtaking Alaskan beauty and subtle emotional impact. Ella Purnell plays Mackenzie, a troubled teen who is sent by her struggling mother to live with her uncle in Juneau, Alaska. Unfortunately, Uncle is on the creepy side and is not above manhandling his underage niece. First chance she gets, Mackenzie runs away and attempts to head back to Seattle. We see MacKenzie making bad decisions, stumbling through awkward situations, and eventually meeting up with an older man who's wife passed away a year before. Bruce Greenwood delivers a gentle and earthy performance as Rene Bartlett, the man determined to travel alone through an area of Alaska that he and his wife were suppose to trek through. MacKenzie finally finds someone she can place trust in, but it is not an easy union. Some may consider Rene to be the father figure that Mackenzie has been searching for, but he could easily be just a decent enough human being that Mackenzie needs in her life. Although, it's not an easy pairing since the man resists having so much emotional baggage even though he does care for her well-being. Their journey through the Alaskan wild and how they connect on so many emotional levels is a trip worth taking. Frank Hall Green somehow not only captures the intimacy of his two explorers, but also of the wilderness itself. Quiet moments are so nuanced that one cannot help reflect on the wonders of both human nature and nature itself. Ella Purnell demonstrates a natural ability to convey strength and vulnerability all at once. She can be both spunky and timid, and we believe her every step of the way. The one thing I could not get over was her striking resemblance to actress Reese Witherspoon, and how both have now done films with wildlife settings around the same time period. Green gives us an absorbing look into this troubled teen, the men in her life all the while providing something much more than just a travelogue. He incorporates the John Ford techniques, showing us how small we really are compared to everything going on around us, but then brings us back with an intimacy that keeps us well in touch with those we care about. "Wildlike" is a gorgeous film that touches our heart and soul. This review is taken in part from my article, "Highlights from the Phoenix Film Festival" from The Movie Guys.

(Originally published on www.Blogcritics.org) Wildlike, a film by writer/director Frank Hall Green, was shown during the eighteenth Dances With Films (DWF) indie-film festival in Hollywood, May 28 – June 7. Dances With Films promotes itself as relying on "innovation, talent, creativity, and sweat equity" rather than celebrity. All those good qualities are evident in Wildlike. The film has an intriguing story, great characters, and an interesting production history. The Story Wildlike stars newcomer Ella Purnell (Maleficent, Never Let Me Go) as Mackenzie, a 14 year old whose father has died. Her mother, played by Diane Farr (NUMB3RS, Rescue Me), says she needs time to get her life in order and continue her therapy, so she sends Mackenzie from their home in Seattle to spend time with her uncle in Alaska. The uncle, portrayed by Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker, Flight), turns out to be a sexual predator. Unable to contact her mother, Mackenzie decides to flee into what is to her the alien world of Alaska. Desperate and alone, she stalks and latches on to Rene Bartlett, a lone backpacker played by Bruce Greenwood (I,Robot, Star Trek, Mad Men). Their relationship, challenged by the rugged nature of Alaska, bears, police, and ultimately the creepy uncle, moves them through a range of emotions and growth. The Characters Purnell's portrayal of Mackenzie is impressive. She begins as a barely tolerable teenager (aren't they all), but we manage to feel sympathy for her because she does have real problems. She starts full of self-pity and low self-esteem. She is forced to grow as she must maneuver in a world without adult support. Greenwood's character, Rene, has his problems, too. He wants to be alone with the memories of his recently deceased wife, re-visiting the trails they walked upon. The last thing he wants is an obnoxious teenager following him around. His character also grows in response to the challenges. I was particularly impressed with the character of Rene. He is faced with challenges and temptations and behaves in an unexpected manner. He is something rarely seen in current films: a good, moral man. The Production I spoke with writer/director Frank Hall Green after the screening. This film, Green's debut as a director, not only tells the story of a long journey, its road to Dances With Films was a long journey as well. Green, a backpacker himself, had explored Alaska many years ago. He completed the first draft of Wildlike in 2010 and walked the route he envisioned for Mackenzie. During 2010-12, Green lined up the cast. He saw Ella Purnell in Never Let Me Go, and was impressed. Purnell, a native of England, auditioned with a perfect American accent and that sealed the deal. During pre-production, to find locations, Green and producer Joseph Stephens trekked along Mackenzie's path yet again. The production began in Anchorage. On the tenth day of filming the cast and crew formed a caravan and began a 3000 mile trip around Alaska. Making things more challenging, in order to capture the beauty of Alaska, they recorded the movie on 35mm film. Those cameras are heavy, but the crew carried them up and down mountains and glaciers. After the film was completed, the next part of the journey began. Wildlike has been invited to over 90 film festivals and has won 50 festival awards, including 21 Best Film and Audience Awards. According to Green, a distribution deal is near. To find out when Wildlike will go to theaters and VOD, sign up at the film's website.

Wildlike is a most captivating film about a 14 year old girl, Mackenzie, who's father passed away a year before. With her mother, in what we assume is drug rehabilitation, this 14 year old girl is sent to stay with her mother's brother in Juneau, Alaska. After escaping from this man's abuse, she meets up with Bart, an upstanding, very ruddy handsome, older man with whom she feels a real sense of safety. Bart is on a quest to accept a loss of his own and plans to hike the Danali National Park in Alaska alone. This beautiful young lady insists, in a most persistent but adorable way, that she is going to tag along on Bart's hike. Bart, of course, tries his best to dissuade her from joining him. This film will tug at your heartstrings and will keep you focused and entertained throughout. The two main characters, Mackenzie and Bart, are cast perfectly. This is a film that you will not want to miss, a film that should be in all theaters, not just at independent film festivals but so glad that the Durango Film Festival chose it for ours.