After two suicide attempts in one week, the last one landing her in the emergency ward where she was only just saved, send Taren Foley (Jennifer Scott) to a psychiatric facility for re-evaluation. But at first it seems she's a lost cause, she refuses to speak to the other patients, let alone open up to her assigned psychiatrist Dr. Kepler (Janet Ulrich Brooks), shows no desire to take her meals or her meds, and lets it be known she just doesn't want to live anymore - so much so that she makes another botched up suicide attempt at the facility. But it seems while she has given up on life, life has not yet given up on her, inasmuch as a fellow patient (and suicide fuck-up), Carlos (Juan Francisco Villa), desparately tries to infect her with his good vibes until he succeeds, and there's an old lady, Mrs. Kelly (Rhobye Wyatt), from the neighbouring Alzheimer ward who grows quite fond of Taren (and vice versa), and more by mistake than design Taren, maybe for the first time in her life, manages to find friends. But there's still so much anger and self hatred inside Taren, and only a few more days of mandatory treatment in the facility, that it's less than certain what she might do once she gets out ...

Joe Estevez plays the head doctor at the ER, Edie McClurg the head nurse.

A very heart-felt movie - and in fact star-writer-executive producer Jennifer Scott's own story -, and one what will probably touch you deep inside, but then again not one film that just blindly follows genre formula but actually manages to stay away from tearjerker tropes to tell a story that feels real, that has its fair share of drama but also quite some humour to keep things relatable, and that never tries to just hammer home a message and instead focuses on concentrates on telling a engaging story. And add to that a subtle yet intimate directorial effort, and a solid ensemble cast led by an outstanding performance by Jennifer Scott, and you've got yourself a pretty awesome movie.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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