Nurse.Fighter.Boy

To tell you more about the plot would be a disservice to this film, as it requires you to become involved in the story and have some patience. The pacing is a bit slow, which may not suit some of you. There is minimal dialogue but this works well, in that music, lighting, mood all help to convey the director’s message. One has to be open-minded when seeing this film because at times it may seem predictable. This is not a conventional plot, where single mom gets sick, her son must take care of her and somehow Johnson’s character will come to save the day. There is some magic-realism present in the story as well, which to some, may seem out of place. If one understands the culture in which it is rooted, however, one is able to grasp its importance.

LeBlanc and Johnson (of Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire fame) play the leads seamlessly and there is a connection that is felt without the need for words. As well, Gordon is outstanding in his performance and he is able to hold his own alongside LeBlanc and Johnson.

I read some reviews of the films and a few writers find the story not well structured and a bit melodramatic. It can be. However, for a first feature, I think Officer has done a good job with the budget he received and the caliber of actors he was able to cast. The one agreement among reviewers is that the soundtrack and cinematography work well in this film. As I stated before, the lighting sets the mood which is deeply linked to the music. To me, the music made the movie more enjoyable. Each of the main characters has his/her own soundtrack and it fits well in depicting their personalities, their mood, their state of mind.

The film first premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and has been seen at other film festivals. LeBlanc won the Best Actress award at the Atlantic Film Festival and Johnson won the Best Actor accolade at Whistler. In times when we are used to gratuitous violence and Hollywood remakes, I’d suggest sampling this film. It showcases Toronto, local talent (in acting and music) and it is a good first effort on the part of Charles Officer.