Billy's (Jeremy London) son (Reed Nicholes) and daughter (Megan Aparo) have just lost their granddad and are heartbroken - which is when Billy tells him how he, as a thirteen year old (and played by Carter Grassi) has still not come over the death of his mother a year ago. So his best friends Mike (Luca Corticelli) and Jake (Dante Corticelli) suggest to perform a ritual at the cemetary she's buried to try and get in touch with her on the other side. The ritual doesn't work, twice, and when Billy's dad (Glen Nicholes jr) learns about this, he's even mad at Billy for trying something so ludicruous. The attempt to talk with his mother had two positive effects though, for one he got closer to Emma (Delaney Miclette), ultimately his maybe-girlfriend, and on the other hand he met an old weirdo, Leonard (Sal Rendino), whom he at first thinks is crazy but who gives him good advice about griefing properly - after all, he goes to the graveyard every day to visit his wife, so he might know a thing or two. And over griefing, Billy and Leonard bond, and Billy soon sees the man as the father figure his real dad just isn't at the moment. Billy actually wants to introduce Leonard to his friends, but everytime he brings them to the cemetary, Leonard just doesn't show up - which is embarrassing to Billy because his friends soon start to think he has only made up Leonard to get their attention. So eventually it seems to Billy like everyone - his friends, Emma, his dad, Leonard - os turning away from him just when he needs a shoulder to cry on the most ...

It's not easy to fit grave topics like grief and overcoming of grief into a family film, especially when it's a kid that's griefing - but this movie sets scarcely a foot wrong, and it's probably because it tells its story from a child's perspective, from a perspective where miracles can happen, ghosts are real and things can be simply magical. And what's important is, the film keeps the child-like point of view throughout, only letting it evolve with the narrative flow instead of driving home its message with a sledgehammer. And thanks to a script that keeps a light-footed tone despite the heavy theme and even allows for bits of humour, a direction that keeps a sense of wonder alive throughout, and a bunch of really strong child actors, this has turned out to be a pretty lovely film.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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