Blessid (2014)

All these 10-star reviews (that sucked me in and inspired me to write my first-ever review) sound suspiciously similar. We tried, but no possible twist or ending could make this movie worth enduring to the end. Awful writing, wooden acting, and a complete yawn of a "story." That was 45 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

I started watching this movie with no idea what it was about or expectations. That's why I'm not going to summarize the plot. Because the movie works best in discovering the truths that lie beneath the surfaces of the two main characters: a beleaguered pregnant woman and her odd neighbor from across the street.I was singularly impressed with every aspect of the film. As a screenwriter, I was particularly impressed by the filmmaker's use of long takes, in which the two characters had conversations so gripping, I hung on every word. This is especially true for the big revelation made at roughly the mid-point of the movie. This speaks well, not only of the screenplay, but of the director's trust in and respect for the audience's intelligence.The film has its creepy and unsettling moments, but I can't truly characterize it as a horror flick. It's more like a story of redemption and hope. And how, even when you feel you have no worth, someone may be looking out for you.I will warn you, though, I'm not a big fan of depicting cruelty to animals. And while a certain scene with a cat nearly made me lose it, the movie's overall theme of forgiveness and spiritual renewal more than made up for that.

"Blessid" is a difficult film to strongly recommend. On one hand, some of the story is exceptional and quite original. But, on the other, the story also has a lot of distractions...things that could have been shortened or eliminated in order to make the film work better. I talked with the screenwriter for the film, Robert Heske, and it turns out he agreed with some of my concerns. Additionally, I then learned that this is Heske's first full-length film and despite being a bit rough, there is a lot to like and the film shows lots of promise.The story begins with Sarah (Rachel Kerbs) married and soon to have her first child. She should be happy, right? Well, in this case no...Sarah is extremely depressed and suicidal...with no direction in her life and a loveless marriage. Some of it is perhaps due to her husband but most is that Sarah is tormented by baggage. Through the course of the movie, you learn that when she was a teen, her sister died and she and her mother blame her for this. So no matter what good happens in her life, Sarah is filled with guilt and is just miserable. Even a stint in a psychiatric hospital did nothing to help Sarah with her self-hatred. However, when a strange new neighbor, Jedediah (Rick Montgomery Jr.), moves in, her life begins to show some....well...life! He's an odd sort of guy and a man with many, many secrets. What they are and how he helps her, you'll just have to see for yourself. Suffice to say, the two are very well written, complex and interesting characters. Plus the actors really did an amazing job in playing these demanding parts. I especially was excited watching Montgomery, as there aren't many meaty parts for middle-aged guys...and he makes the most of it.As I mentioned earlier, the film has a few problems. When it's not focused on Sarah and Jedediah, the story seems confusing and a bit overly complicated. Frankly, I just wanted to see more of these two people and the others didn't necessarily have to be in the film or their parts could have been trimmed a bit to help the movie. According to Henke, the original film actually did have much more in it about strange friendship...I would love to have been able to see what didn't make it into the movie.What we are left with is a film that isn't perfect but which shows a lot of promise for the screenwriter. Additionally, two actors who may not have an extensive set of credits but who deserve to be seen more. Overall, this is enough to give "Blessid" a mild recommendation and it's available now through Amazon Prime. Also, parents might want to beware, as the language can be a bit rough...which isn't surprising due to the woman's depression and the folks in her life.

​Blessid is a taut and well crafted tale of unbearable guilt and redemption. From the beginning, the script captures the viewer. Every time I feared Blessid would veer toward standard thriller clichés, I was surprised by the film's clever and interesting turns. Despite the gravity of its themes, Blessid displays a lightness of touch, even humor. This is most notable when issues of spirituality are introduced., Too often, in other cinema, these are highlighted by special effects or too obvious symbolism. Here there is a deftness amplified by the acting of all the principals, as well as a soundtrack notable for its excellent match with scene and text. Rachel Kerb and Gene Silvers stand out with the quality of their performances established in the realism of the first scenes. As the man of mystery, Rick Montgomery's low key presentation is just what is needed. Madeline O'Brien and Gina Pardi as young sisters do a good job showing the warmth and camaraderie between the two which is so necessary to the plot. All in all, Blessid is an unexpectedly gripping and intriguing film.