Hot Picks
|
|
|
Hungry
USA 2015
produced by Jillie Simon, Thomas Simon for Endorphin Records
directed by Jillie Simon, Thomas Simon
starring Jillie Simon, Eric Roberts, Alex Emanuel, Victor Colicchio, Bettina Bilger, Melissa Murray-Mutch, Siara Koat, Richard Lampone, Harley Kaplan, Elizabeth Alice Murray, Nora Armani, Ron Barba, Julie Berndt, Karin Collison, Verna Hampton, Bryce Margolis, Molly Mutch, Brian Richardson
story by Jillie Simon, Thomas Simon, screenplay by Jillie Simon, music by Thomas Simon
short
review by Mike Haberfelner
|
|
Allison
(Jillie Simon), an idealistic grade school teacher, is presently teaching
her students about democracy, and how this institution has made the USA
the greatest country in the world – and then she sees that some of the
kids she’s responsible for cannot afford lunch in the school cafeteria
and thus have to go hungry and as a result also sleepy through the day.
She addresses this with first the cafeteria personnel, and then also the
school board, but the answer she gets is always the same, due to federal
cutbacks in school lunch programs, lunch apparently has become a privilege
for those who can afford it. So she makes up a plan to intercept the
responsible congressman, Dennis Thicke (Eric Roberts), and address the
topic to him directly – which means she has to overcome her own fear of
public speaking. Sure, she does fine with the children, but with everyone
else is a different matter for Allison. However, once she gets through to
the congressman, she manages to find her mojo and does fine – until she
lands in jail for harassment. So is this what the great democracy she has
taught her students about has come to, or is there a silver lining on the
horizon?
When it comes to political drama, things probably
don’t get any sweeter than that – but sweet not as in sugar-coated but
as in heart-warming, as the story of this film, rather than making a clear
distinction along party lines and driving the message home with a sledge
hammer accordingly, addresses an actual problem and supports standing up
for oneself to make a change if classic politics fail to help. And all
this is cleverly packed into a character-driven story with Jillie Simon
giving her all portraying the very relatable lead with her everyday
problems on top of everything else. And
carried by an unassuming directorial effort, her challenges are really
palpable. And all that said, keep your tissues handy, because the –
spoiler alert – heart-warming ending will probably make you shed a tear
or three.
|
|
|
review © by Mike Haberfelner
|
Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned) |
The links below will take you just there!!!
|
|
|
Thanks for watching !!!
|
|
|
Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
|