One of the aspects of Brandon McCormick’s “Alabaster” that I enjoyed was his unflinching willingness to completely hit the ground running in a world of surreal characters. Like many other existential dramas, “Alabaster” is a film comprised of many elements, all of which are leading somewhere. I won’t give anything away for you, but immediately, I could sense that “Alabaster” and its variety of odd characters and symbols was inevitably going to come together to say something. And quite honestly, I was riveted.
Once again, he focuses on the human condition, and the elements of which that make up our life. Our character Ethan is on a journey to a place called Alabaster where he assumes work awaits for him. But on the way, he not only comes across an unusual group of characters that guide him on his journey, but he also learns something about people. Most importantly, the characters that surround our character Ethan tell him something about himself. What is Alabaster? Is it that quintessential paradise? Is it Ethan’s redemption that he seeks through hard work? Is it that one place that can promise him peace of mind? Is Alabaster just a state of mind in all of us, or is it that one place where we feel safe and innocent even in a world that treats us so harshly?
Does Ethan ever reach Alabaster? I can’t tell you for sure, because quite simply, if you come across “Alabaster,” you’ll have to experience it for yourself. I was simply thrown for a loop at how utterly insightful McCormick’s film was, and how it so aptly waxed poetic about life in only a little under an hour. Josh Tyson’s performance is great, he’s a man who has done very bad things in his life, and yet is purely sympathetic from the beginning. He wants to change, he wants to transform into an honest man, and he feels Alabaster can help him with that. Why does he suddenly feel this place can? Because some of us just want that answer in our life, that savior that we know can never really change things for us, but still keeps us going based on that hope. “Alabaster” is a compelling and gripping spiritual journey, and a surreal glimpse into the human condition and our journey for redemption. Sure, in the end it’s a pro-religion statement, but it’s riveting nonetheless.