While I’m a huge fan of independent productions, I’ll also admit that they frustrate me sometimes beyond belief.
Mind you, I’m just a critic. I’ve never been inside any production, big or small. I have known several folks in the business; and I once worked briefly with a lady who was part of an indie outfit. But when it comes to experience within filmdom, I really don’t have any significant to bring to that table. As someone who has both dabbled in writing and watching countless hours of flicks, I’ve built up a reservoir of thought that helps me in evaluating efforts critically; and it’s often been these indie features I enjoy most.
Where I struggle with them, however, is I come across so many incredible ideas that, ultimately, feel shoehorned into an inferior product.
Though I used to keep a list personally, I’ve now lost count of the number of smaller releases that have had some central nugget of pure inspiration around which to build a compelling story but, instead, wastes the potential in subplots or unnecessary plot twists. It might be a little thing here or there – a solid foundation, some great characters, or an interesting event – but I’ve sat and watched how in so, so, so many cases that initial flavor turns sour before the finish. Rarely I have seen an indie film – and I’m only talking these smaller projects, not ones with a lot of spending cash – truly stick the landing … and, yes, that frustrates the hell out of me as a consumer.
This brings me to my thoughts on We Go On (2016).
Written and directed for the screen by the team of Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton, the story – a very solid character-driven experience – revolves around a man’s private yet desperate attempt to come to grips with life itself. While some might dismiss such an idea as being perhaps a bit too grand for some independent venture, I’d argue that – for much of this picture’s run – We Go On broaches the subject as deftly and as intelligently as could any studio effort. The players involved all hit their strides in the right places; and, yet, there’s still a listlessness to far too much of the narrative to make it rise to the occasion the way it could have.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Mind you, I’m just a critic. I’ve never been inside any production, big or small. I have known several folks in the business; and I once worked briefly with a lady who was part of an indie outfit. But when it comes to experience within filmdom, I really don’t have any significant to bring to that table. As someone who has both dabbled in writing and watching countless hours of flicks, I’ve built up a reservoir of thought that helps me in evaluating efforts critically; and it’s often been these indie features I enjoy most.
Where I struggle with them, however, is I come across so many incredible ideas that, ultimately, feel shoehorned into an inferior product.
Though I used to keep a list personally, I’ve now lost count of the number of smaller releases that have had some central nugget of pure inspiration around which to build a compelling story but, instead, wastes the potential in subplots or unnecessary plot twists. It might be a little thing here or there – a solid foundation, some great characters, or an interesting event – but I’ve sat and watched how in so, so, so many cases that initial flavor turns sour before the finish. Rarely I have seen an indie film – and I’m only talking these smaller projects, not ones with a lot of spending cash – truly stick the landing … and, yes, that frustrates the hell out of me as a consumer.
This brings me to my thoughts on We Go On (2016).
Written and directed for the screen by the team of Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton, the story – a very solid character-driven experience – revolves around a man’s private yet desperate attempt to come to grips with life itself. While some might dismiss such an idea as being perhaps a bit too grand for some independent venture, I’d argue that – for much of this picture’s run – We Go On broaches the subject as deftly and as intelligently as could any studio effort. The players involved all hit their strides in the right places; and, yet, there’s still a listlessness to far too much of the narrative to make it rise to the occasion the way it could have.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Miles Grissom offers $30,000 to the first person who can prove to him that we go on after death.”
C’mon: you know we all want to know the answer to life’s ultimate question!
And what better way to weave a powerful story about life, death, and everything in between by having a straight down the middle of the road dramatic extrapolation than this?
Haunted by a past struggle, Miles (played convincingly by Clark Freeman) has found himself emotionally and psychologically damaged perhaps beyond repair. Stricken with a crippling agoraphobia, he’s willing to venture outside into the world of the living sparingly and – even when he does – he’s usually afflicted by panic attacks and tremors. Deciding that he finally needs to put the past behind him, he commits to a relatively simple game plan: taking out an ad in the daily newspaper, he offers a generous sum to any individual who can prove that there’s more to this life than just what we see in the here and now.
Naturally, such a campaign brings out the usual charlatans, but – with his mother Charlotte (Annette O’Toole) helping to comb through the responses – Miles whittles down the interested parties to what he feels are serious prospects. Without going into all of the particulars – yes, he’s duped once, confused once, and nearly duped a second time – the young man perseveres despite the fact that answers are in short supply. He’s frustrated, and he’s shaken, but he’s still unwilling to give up on his quest for information.
But once his biggest potentials have nearly run dry, he opts to meet with an anonymous caller whose only instructions are to meet him at a nearby property adjoining the airport. Nelson (Jay Dunn) – a somewhat disheveled young man with poor color and the look of the typical homeless fellow – invites Miles ‘behind the fence’ into a rundown building that – to his surprise – posits a curious development for them both. It would seem that, yes, life does go on after we expire … but there are some grim and dire consequences to both knowing and accepting such a dark truth.
Without overdoing my praise, I think that We Go On delivers this surprise – the meeting between Nelson and Miles and just who they are and what they mean to one another – with brilliant clarity. It’s the catalyst for where this story is going to travel next; so – as the crucial set-up – I couldn’t imagine it being handled in any other way. Where I think the film fails is that once we’re given this pivotal answer, Holland and Mitton’s script sadly devolves into some melodrama between Miles and his mother – she’s suddenly smitten with violence in a curious turn that never feels organic – as well as a dramatic tributary that explores Nelson’s kinda/sorta girlfriend Alice (Laura Heisler) that just left me scratching my head.
“Miles Grissom offers $30,000 to the first person who can prove to him that we go on after death.”
C’mon: you know we all want to know the answer to life’s ultimate question!
And what better way to weave a powerful story about life, death, and everything in between by having a straight down the middle of the road dramatic extrapolation than this?
Haunted by a past struggle, Miles (played convincingly by Clark Freeman) has found himself emotionally and psychologically damaged perhaps beyond repair. Stricken with a crippling agoraphobia, he’s willing to venture outside into the world of the living sparingly and – even when he does – he’s usually afflicted by panic attacks and tremors. Deciding that he finally needs to put the past behind him, he commits to a relatively simple game plan: taking out an ad in the daily newspaper, he offers a generous sum to any individual who can prove that there’s more to this life than just what we see in the here and now.
Naturally, such a campaign brings out the usual charlatans, but – with his mother Charlotte (Annette O’Toole) helping to comb through the responses – Miles whittles down the interested parties to what he feels are serious prospects. Without going into all of the particulars – yes, he’s duped once, confused once, and nearly duped a second time – the young man perseveres despite the fact that answers are in short supply. He’s frustrated, and he’s shaken, but he’s still unwilling to give up on his quest for information.
But once his biggest potentials have nearly run dry, he opts to meet with an anonymous caller whose only instructions are to meet him at a nearby property adjoining the airport. Nelson (Jay Dunn) – a somewhat disheveled young man with poor color and the look of the typical homeless fellow – invites Miles ‘behind the fence’ into a rundown building that – to his surprise – posits a curious development for them both. It would seem that, yes, life does go on after we expire … but there are some grim and dire consequences to both knowing and accepting such a dark truth.
Without overdoing my praise, I think that We Go On delivers this surprise – the meeting between Nelson and Miles and just who they are and what they mean to one another – with brilliant clarity. It’s the catalyst for where this story is going to travel next; so – as the crucial set-up – I couldn’t imagine it being handled in any other way. Where I think the film fails is that once we’re given this pivotal answer, Holland and Mitton’s script sadly devolves into some melodrama between Miles and his mother – she’s suddenly smitten with violence in a curious turn that never feels organic – as well as a dramatic tributary that explores Nelson’s kinda/sorta girlfriend Alice (Laura Heisler) that just left me scratching my head.
Once the veil is lifted and a character is given the answer to life’s biggest question, I’d rather spend more time with that person. I’d want to know how he/she is going to evaluate their own life now that there’s no going back, and I’d hope I’d see how this significance might have him/her calculating – if nothing else – what could’ve been done differently along the way. While We Go On briefly toys with this, the bulk of the second half feels like I was drawn into a slightly different film – one wherein the characters seeming have little countenance over the fact that they’ve had the universe’s secret unlocked before their very eyes – and the end result is lopsided. It strays curiously into some rather dark territory – I’m still not sure I understand fully why Alice felt violence was her only way out, nor am I entirely certain of what psychosis Miles’ late father struggled with – and that was disappointing.
We Go On (2016) was produced by Filmed Imagination. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Lightyear. As for the technical specifications? Wow. While I’m no trained video expert, I thought the bulk of this effort was composed with some exceptional sounds and visuals. Well done. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? First off, I find it worth mentioning that this release is being advertised as an ‘Updated Special Edition With Enhanced Visual Effects’; having not seen the original, I can’t speak to any significant differences between the two flicks. The disc also boasts not one … not two … but a whopping three audio commentaries featuring cast and crew. Also … well done.
Recommended.
Though I was a bit disappointed with where the story ultimately delivered me, it’s still easy to give We Go On a recommendation. Holland and Mitton take an honest look at life and death in a relatable way, and they’ve crafted a handful of characters who make this cinematic journey one worth the effort. They touch on paranormal subjects with relative ease, never cheapening the possibility that there could be more to existence than we see daily in the same deft manner that Fox TV’s The X-Files did or even ABC TV’s short-lived Miracles tried in its limited run. It’s definitely one of the better ‘quieter and gentler’ films I’ve seen tackling the beyond – without a great deal of flash and sizzle – so I think storytellers would do well to tap into such territory as inspiration.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Lightyear provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of We Go On (2016) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
We Go On (2016) was produced by Filmed Imagination. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Lightyear. As for the technical specifications? Wow. While I’m no trained video expert, I thought the bulk of this effort was composed with some exceptional sounds and visuals. Well done. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? First off, I find it worth mentioning that this release is being advertised as an ‘Updated Special Edition With Enhanced Visual Effects’; having not seen the original, I can’t speak to any significant differences between the two flicks. The disc also boasts not one … not two … but a whopping three audio commentaries featuring cast and crew. Also … well done.
Recommended.
Though I was a bit disappointed with where the story ultimately delivered me, it’s still easy to give We Go On a recommendation. Holland and Mitton take an honest look at life and death in a relatable way, and they’ve crafted a handful of characters who make this cinematic journey one worth the effort. They touch on paranormal subjects with relative ease, never cheapening the possibility that there could be more to existence than we see daily in the same deft manner that Fox TV’s The X-Files did or even ABC TV’s short-lived Miracles tried in its limited run. It’s definitely one of the better ‘quieter and gentler’ films I’ve seen tackling the beyond – without a great deal of flash and sizzle – so I think storytellers would do well to tap into such territory as inspiration.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Lightyear provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of We Go On (2016) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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