Director April Schroer’s “Sky’s the Limit” is a film that could use at least ten more minutes to help us identify with our characters. If there’s any complaint I can lobby at her film is that it’s much too short to really understand our characters. That said, “Sky’s the Limit” is a fun and entertaining short film about a dad who is looking for a direction in life after his wife left him widowed and a single father.
Timothy J. Cox does a bang up job as Jason, a man who spends his time looking for online dates, and unwittingly ignores his son. He’s a bit myopic in the way he raises his son, even displaying a lack of interest during a game of imagination that son Frankie is anxious to engage in. When Jason drags Frankie along on a date, Jason begins to realize what’s really important in his life. I really enjoyed the interplay between both performers as they lend the film a chemistry that compensates for the lack of focus on their grief and loneliness.
Cox pulls in a very strong performance that’s funny and touching, especially when he realizes that his priorities are all out of whack. The father and son dynamic is very fragile, and Schroer examines that fact in “Sky’s the Limit” that explores how much Jason and Frankie’s relationship lives and dies by Jason’s desire for a mate that should be placed on the backburner for time with his son. “Sky’s the Limit” is a very well made and entertaining film suffering from narrative flaws, but that’s made up for by the performances and insightful glimpse at the father and son bond.