Travis:

‘Half-Life’ is a movie that deceives the viewer o the surface, teasing us with its animated scenes and it’s near-future global warming gone wild storyline. The truth is that these two elements, while interesting, play a very minuscule role in the story overall. This is the sophomore feature-length film for Jennifer Phang (Target Audience 9.1), telling a dramatic and often uncomfortable story of a single mother and her two children struggling through their awkward daily lives.

Saura Wu (Julia-Nickson-Soul) is a working mother trying her best to raise her two children on her own after her husband left the family suddenly. Saura’s daughter Pamela, played by surfer/actress Sanoe Lake, and her son Timothy (Alexander Agate) are separated in age by a good decade or so. Pamela is protective of Timothy but is unhappy in her life of loneliness and confusion. Timothy is a quiet but intelligent boy, curious about the world around him. Saura is dating a younger man named Wendell (Ben Redgrave) who becomes a catalyst for even more friction within the household.

Pamela’s best friend Scott (Leonardo Lam) is gay and is in a relationship with Jonah (Lee Marks), who happens to be Timothy’s school teacher. Scott is a kindred spirit to Pamela, dealing with his unhappy life at home with his adopted conservative Christian parents who disagree with his lifestyle but refuse to address their concerns for Scott directly, creating an awkward emotionless household. Pamela and Scott help each other through the hardships they encounter in the film.

‘Half-Life’ is shot in a grainy docudrama style and is visually a calm and peaceful film, contradicting the turmoil that the characters are experiencing. The performances are middle of the road, allowing the story to evolve but not good enough to truly sell the gravity of the situation. The one exception is Agate’s performance, which helps as Timothy is ultimately who the story revolves around. The animated sequences are decently executed, conveying a bedtime story that plays a complimentary role in the progression of the story. ‘Half-Life’ is an idea with potential but would have benefited from some additional polishing.

[Overall: 3 stars out of 5]

Festival Screening Date: Saturday, November 15 @ 7:45pm (Tivoli)