A woman slow goes down into what might be the worst breakdown or complete madness as her life falls apart around her.
Written and directed by Dean Kapsalis, this film is a depressing one and that feels like that was the goal. The story goes from bad to worse as things move forward both from external and internal forces to the lead character. She is written as a woman with a lot of sadness and desperation, giving her depth, but all of it is melancholy. This film is not meant to be a fun and happy ending kind of story and it lives well with that fact. It’s a bummer and it commits to it.
Lead actress Azura Skye is a powerhouse here giving a performance that should be lauded for its emotions and bravery. Her performance makes the film here; there is no way around it. She makes the film and makes it a poignant story from her emotional connect to the character to her emotional connection to the viewer. Without her, this would be a much different film and possibly a very boring one. Standing out as well is Ashley Bell as Claudia, her sister who has her own set of problems and thus exacerbates Holly’s as well as the stress on her from everything going on in her life.
The film has a look, feel, and sound that bring it all together to make it one depressing piece that clearly shows the effects of stress, depression, and anxiety on a person. Here, everything comes together to create a heavy atmosphere and one that is not particularly welcoming, yet will feel familiar for many. This is done through the writing, directing, and performances of course, but the images, the way they are shot, the way the camera moves all make it that much more powerful. The score and its placement also adds a ton to this story and its impact.
Overall, this film feels long and life very little happens, but that is kind of the point possibly. There are events that get things in motion, yet things just don’t seem to be moving all that much, thus putting the lead character in a rut that is palpable. This leads to a fantastic performance from lead actress Azura Skye who is perfect in the part and just becomes Holly and her struggles, emotions, and personality.