"Strong animals know when your hearts are weak."
Hushpuppy
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| Will the RAC come out for this? |
Synopsis;
Savvy 6 year old Hush-puppy lives with her father in a place known by the locals simply as the Bathtub. When her strong-minded father's health begins to fade, and a catastrophic flooding desolates her community, Hush-puppy must put aside the small comforts of childhood and emerge both strong and determined if she's to survive in this dangerous new world.
Script Logic; 2/2
To be fair, there's little to the script outside that synopsis, the meat of the film is chiefly concerned with the relationships of the characters caught-up in the ecological ramifications of the flooding- hard grafting and hard living. It doesn't sound like a riveting film, I'll admit, but I was engrossed from start to finish.
Pace; 1/2
While I was never bored (far from it), I was aware the film meandered at certain points. Having a very definitive 'moment' that the film was clearly heading towards meant that all lulls in pace and plot deviations from reaching that certain 'moment' were very noticeable.
Acting; 2/2
Enough praise cannot be lavished on the largely unknown cast, especially young Quvenzhané Wallis who played the film's plucky little heroine Hush-puppy. I don't believe I've ever seen a more natural and convincing child actor, and I'd go so far as to say I doubt many A-listers have ever given a better performance. A film like this lives-or-dies on it's lead's ability to carry the story, and Wallis (in her first film, no less) effortlessly rises to that burden, stealing every scene she's in- which, as the view-point character, is every single one. Beyond impressive, and the film is worth watching for this reason alone.
Aesthetic; 2/2
The aesthetic of the film is intentionally gritty and, whether by luck or design, the grainy quality of the image is very in keeping with the tone of the story- somehow invoking the sense of news archives and raw documentary footage without relying on imitation. You can almost taste the dirty water, and the sweat on your upper lip, or feel the mud between your toes and the callouses on your hands- just sitting through the film feels like a hard days laboring (but in no way is that intended a flaw)! In the best possible sense, this is a film you don't 'watch' so much as 'experience'.
Originality & Intention; 2/2
I've not seen a film like it, and I highly doubt I will again. It make's it's points about community, family and ecology very clear without ever becoming preachy, it's beautiful without every losing the rough edges that keep it grounded in realism, and throws it's young heroine into the drama and dangers of an ecological disaster with refreshing disregard for her young age. The result is an honest, touching, heart-warming, heart-breaking and (dare I say it) uplifting film.
Final Score; 9/10
I can't recommend this film strongly enough, and while it may be at points a hard film to watch (not exactly light hearted although amusing in parts), overall the film celebrates the tenacity, frailty and perseverance of the human spirit. We'd all do well to remember just how easy we often have it when we feel life has dealt with us unfairly...
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