American Fable (2017)

This movie was pretty good! it was filmed really beautifully and the acting from the main character Giddy was executed really well. It was also told from her point of view which was really interesting. I don't know why most people from this movie hard to follow, i found it really straight forward. It's worth a watch.

When 11-year-old Gitty (Peyton Kennedy) discovers that her beloved father is hiding a wealthy man (Richard Schiff) in her family's silo in order to save their struggling farm, she is forced to choose between saving the man's life or protecting her family from the consequences of their actions.The "fable" of the title is the film's explicit parallel between Gitty and the story of the lion and the mouse. When the mouse sees that the lion is in trouble (perhaps from a thorn in his foot), the mouse does the seemingly right thing and aids the lion. But what is the outcome? Is the lion grateful or does he turn around and devour the tasty morsel? This is the problem facing Gitty: she wants to do the right thing, but is it worth the unknown outcome? With its blend of fantasy and the pastoral, "American Fable" might call to mind other films such as "Pan's Labyrinth" or even "The Reflecting Skin". The latter would be unfair, but the former is a good touchstone. While the fantasy in "Fable" is relatively mild -- more dream than altered reality -- it does feature a strong-willed young girl in a perilous world. And, for the record, Peyton Kennedy excels in this role, really carrying the weight of the entire film on her shoulders successfully.Speaking of the pastoral setting, credit must be given to the filmmakers for their location choices. Certainly you could replicate a Wisconsin farm in California or elsewhere, but actually filming in Wisconsin and Illinois captured the authentic nature of the Midwest. And the inclusion of the House on the Rock was brilliantly conceived. Anyone from the Midwest should instantly recognize the Infinity Room and the World's Largest Carousel, both of which double effectively as a dream sequence.Veteran actor Richard Schiff balances with Kennedy quite well and plays an excellent "lion". Viewers will be kept guessing if he really intends to keep his promises or if he will say anything just to survive. Kip Pardue's acting is the weak point of the film. Whether it is him or the script, he often seems out of place. Which leaves Gavin MacIntosh. His character, Martin, is impossible to love, coming across very much like a budding sociopath. MacIntosh's portrayal is therefore excellent -- he creates an uneasiness in the viewer that shows a real mastery of the character.As the debut feature film for writer-director-producer Anne Hamilton, "American Fable" is a winner, pure and simple. Moviegoers ought to keep their eyes open for Hamilton's name on future projects; whether she ends up staying in the independent film world or moves on to bigger studio projects, she exhibits world-class skill and imagination that we should hope to see more of.The home video release from IFC Midnight has a few small perks. There are deleted scenes that may add a little something for audience members who cannot quite get enough of this family. Sadly, there is no audio commentary or in-depth interview with Hamilton. Perhaps keeping some aspects shrouded in mystery is for the best, but it would have been nice to hear some thoughts on the writing, casting, funding and other topics from the auteur.

An 11-year-old girl named Gitty enjoys the 1980's farm life while living with her pregnant mother, Sarah; evil brother, Martin; and doting father, Abe. A young Gitty discovers a businessman named Jonathan hidden in an abandoned grain silo located on the vast property that is her family's farm. Gitty befriends Jonathan and begins bringing him food and literature at his request with a promise that when he escapes the silo, he would give her anything she wanted. Gitty asks Jonathan to tell her a story, and he tells her the story of the lion and the mouse. Later on, Gitty asks her father if he has heard the story of the lion and the mouse. Abe says he knows the story, but then he ends up reciting the story to her with an incorrect, sinister ending. Abe's version of the story has the mouse setting the lion free, but then the lion harming the mouse anyway after it is set free. I thought this was a foreshadow to the man in the silo being set free by Gitty in the future and then harming Gitty anyway. We learn that Abe was about to lose the family farm and has made some sort of plan with an evil woman named Vera. Abe has agreed to hold the man for ransom, but when evil Martin finds out that Gitty has been speaking to the man in the silo, the game now changes because the man may later be able to identify them with the police. The family panics at the thought of going to prison, so they decide Jonathan must be killed so they will not get caught. Just then, Gitty's mom goes into labor and she and Abe leave for the hospital. Gitty sees her chance to save her friend from a horrible fate. She calls the town's bumbling sheriff, but the sheriff ends up being no help at all and ends up being shot by Martin. A chase ensues, and the Martin now threatens to kill Gitty but ends up falling into a shallow, dried-up well during his pursuit of his sister. Jonathan finally breaks free, only to find Abe has come home from the hospital to kill him. Gitty jumps in front of Jonathan, and an injured Jonathan scampers away. Later, we see a still 11-year-old Gitty fending for herself and eating roadkill to survive, as I assume, her parents are now in prison. As she is preparing her roadkill meat for consumption, we see a fancy car pull up and a clean, and well-suited Jonathan step out. Then the movie ends. Because of Abe's incorrect recital of the Lion and the Mouse, I am left wondering whether Jonathan was there to harm her or if he was there to grant her the wishes he promised to fulfill when he was still captive in the silo. I am not sure if this was supposed to be a cliffhanger, or if the ending was accidentally unclear.All in all, it was a very slow and gentle "thriller." I liked it, but I just with the ending had been more clear.

To be honest I almost didn't make it past the fifteen minute mark. I was just too lazy to change it. Did it get better, I can't say that it did. I can say that I began to appreciate it more. I still don't really like it, but on another level I really do like it. I hate it for the missed potential where both screen writer and director dropped the ball, almost like they weren't sure what to do with it.The movie is set in the Heartland, the Bread Basket of America, on a farm, with farm people. The timing is back in the early eighties when we were losing our family farmers to banks and speculators. Well a woman the dad meets has a plan to raise money, why she would partner with a complete stranger was never addressed. Her plan was to abduct one of the speculators and hold him for ransom. in a silo on our farm. This farming family has a couple of kids, the wholly psychopathic son and Gertrude, known as Gitty. One day while Gitty was out playing with her chicken, Happy, she was by the forbidden silo and heard the captive. As he hasn't eaten in a couple days he asks Gitty to help him. Reluctant our 11 year-old heroine ends up helping him. She is small enough to fit through the opening at the very top of the silo. They become friends, he teaches her to play chess. Is he her friend or just cozying up to her to the end of freedom? I don't know, the movie is fragmented, sort of. The acting is decent, especially from our young protagonist. Several times Peyton's portrayal of Gitty brought to mind Lizzie Samuels (not sure I'll ever forgive Carol murdering her, I digress. Some other stuff happens (fairly boring) but then we are at dinner and the psychopath cooked. Did I mention he's a psychopath who hates his sister and now he's running around with a gun. Earlier he chopped off the finger of the captive then tells Gitty he is going to kill her. A little bit of this and that and if I gave any further detail you could skip the movie and just read this.Now, is this movie about a kidnapping? Not really. It seems to b=me to be more of an allegory for Gitty growing up. We learn there are no books in the farm house, but Gitty thirsts for knowledge and experience. As she hangs with the captive her dress and hair style change subtly, slightly more mature, she develops goals for future career, a writer. Works much better as allegory that straight crime drama.See it. Heck just writing this I liked it one star more, who knows maybe that will go up next time I watch it, and I will be watching it again. Give it a try.