Take Me To The River

Summer is over. At least for this year here in Sweden. And now it all begins again, everyone is back at the stressful life, with school, work and yelling at neighbors for not parking correctly. Of course i am also back to work, but when i get the time, i dance around to the song Mala Onda by the awsome band Little Jesus. It was one of those songs this summer, that made me feel so good. For many people we have different things, that make us think of summer. It could be weather, food, or just being with family. No matter what makes you love summer, it is a season where we are supposed to enjoy ourselves. Speaking of family, how many of you have big families ? My wife have, so every holiday we gather to enjoy a big dinner, talking and laughing. Especially in summer time, when you gather everyone for barbecues, or other meals. Family is important. But what if you don´t get along with your family ? When it comes to films, taking on family issues, we have a masterpiece film called Buffalo´66. Directed by Vincent Gallo, and he is also in the lead role as Billy, we follow a man who is just released from prison, with no future and no one who cares about him. Not to reveal too much, but this is one of those independent films, that you have to buy. The simple story is so well done, that you can´t deny that Vincent Gallo is one film maker who knows passion. The parents, brilliantly played by Anjelica Houston and Ben Gazzara should both have been Oscar nominated back in 1998. This is also one of the best performances i have seen Christina Ricci have ever made, simply outstanding. So take my advice, Buffalo´66 is a film everyone should buy, and i know you will love it just as much as i do. As most you of you readers knows by now, i am a very big fan on independent films. I personally think that they are mostly much better than the big Hollywood films that comes out every month. So when i get a chance to see independent films coming out, from all corners of the world, i am usually very curious to see what will be served.  I just got a chance to see a independent film called Take Me To The River, a film i only heard about since the screening at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2016. I finally got a chance to see this film, hoping that it would be as good a some reviews have been positive.  Do we have another independent classic in our hands, or should you wait for another one instead of seeing this one? 

Ryder ( Logan Miller ) is going with his parents on a family reunion, where all relatives meet up in Nebraska to enjoy a weekend together. Most of the kids love to see Ryder draw, because he turns out to be really talented at drawing. After a while,  Ryder is asked to go with Molly ( Ursula Parker ) to a barn.  Everything seems calm, until Molly runs out crying as if something happened while they were alone.  What did happen to Molly, or is this what it seems to be? 

If you don´t enjoy a lot of dialogue, and deep issues, you are not going to enjoy Take Me To The River. This is the kind of film you want to see, if you enjoy films with more depth, than the usual Hollywood release. We have characters that you will remember, and a bizarre story that goes from one point, and take a completely different turn. I like films where you have no idea what will happen. Where you have to think for yourself, if you can figure out where the film will pick up next. And this is one of the details i enjoy about this film. This is a independent film with depth, something we don´t see in the major studio releases very often. The story is pretty simple, but that´s ok, because you soon realise that there is more than just one side of the story. And this is where it gets interesting, when the film seems to follow a certain way, a big change comes unexpected. So you have to think for a moment, are we really getting the truth ? When you are forced to think in a film, and not just figure out everything from the beginning, you have to be pleased. Films that dare to go in different paths are needed in this world, and for that i think director Matt Sobel deserves respect for trying to do something deep with his story. The film takes place mostly in the countryside, where you get to know some of the family members, after a relatives gathering. But the most interesting character in this film is actually the lead role Ryder, really well acted by Logan Miller. He seems to be a normal young man, but once you see him faced with an unexpected turn in his life, the film shows a different side of his personality. I also think that child actor Ursula Parker is really good, as the adventurous girl Molly. Her innocent look, with her view of this world, makes you think back to when we were young, and were ready to explore the world. Of course there is a more serious plot here, so it becomes a bit more complicated than the usual teen stories. Director Matt Sobel proves that there is still hope for well made independent films, he digs deep into family situations, and want us to see that every family have secrets, even if the truth may never come out. I actually enjoyed the ending also, because you don´t really get all the answers, as if you have to think what you believe is going on. Take Me To The River may not be one of the best independent films i have seen, but this is still a strong film with really good acting included. A complicated family situation can be more interesting than you would expect. The film is out on dvd now in september, and can be seen on VOD. If you like intelligent films, then i think you might enjoy this one for what it is. Knowing that this is the directorial debut film from Matt Sobel, i hope to see his next film in the future, he clearly have an eye for quality films.

Rating: DDD