Two Cents from a Pariah

This film had a slice-of-life ambiance. The characters were refreshingly ordinary-looking and their backstories all too believable. Having seen what drugs and alcohol can do to families and children, l found the relationship fallout here highly relatable. The deep questions get asked and the true priorities of life shine through. This unexpected tour-de-force is a complex movie that is uplifting as well as thought-provoking. It is naturalistic in the extreme with a dose of the sacred withinin the profane. It's like the "ashcan" school of artists who painted hardscrabble reality without apology. We need more of this kind of film-making, where the message is more important than the massage. By massage, l mean the dazzling special effects and nonstop action of average Hollywood fare. Two Cents from a Pariah is the definition of a slow burn and l couldn't tear myself away for a second.

I enjoyed this film. I thought the directing was great and the script trusted the audience to figure things out without having to be fed too much exposition or back-story. Jeffrey Grover was good but Courtney Palm steals the show. She does a great job of balancing the pain and anger see feels towards her estranged father, and the longing to having him in her life. I found the film anxiety inducing at times and, overall, very depressing. I love movies like this. Can't wait to watch it again.

The storyline had depth, and a good twist with the characters. Would've like to see a little more backstory with the main character Donovan, what he did in his past life, maybe with flash backs. Really loved the Emiliana character, she played it so elegantly & classily, which was a nice surprise as opposed to a 'stereotype' Dom. Would've loved to see even more of her character, maybe with a transition of her own from hiding behind her voice & sexy facade.