Sundance Day Three: Push, Big River Man and The Greatest (views)
I had a great first full day of Sundance screenings on Friday, with the three films I caught -- Lymelife, Rough Aunties and Humpday -- all being solid, enjoyable picks; unfortunately I missed catching Johnny Mad Dog, the fourth film I'd planned to catch on Friday, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up with it later in the fest.
Day Three looks to be very promising as well. First up today is Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, which garnered a standing ovation at Friday night's pubic premiere. The film follows Precious (Gabourey Sidibe), an illiterate, overweight Harlem teen pregnant with her second child fathered by her own father, as she connects with adults in the alternative school she transfers to and realizes she might have more potential inside than anyone in her life, including her abusive mother (Mo'Nique) has ever seen. Early buzz is very positive on this film, and I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself.
Next up is Big River Man, showing in the World Cinema Documentary competition. This doc is about Marvin Strel, an endurance swimmer who embarks on a quest to swim the entire length of the Amazon River -- that's approximately 4,000 miles, if you're counting -- to draw attention to pollution. Strel, who's previously conquered the Mississippi, the Danube and the Yangtze, faces predators, pollution, and dangerous rapids in making his journey. Strel's son and manager acts as narrator, while director John Maringouin documents the attempt. I'm hearing good things about the visual look of this film, and I'm intrigued to see how Maringouin draws Strel's personal story out of the material.
Also today, The Greatest, director Shana Feste's drama about the wrenching impact the death of their teenage son has on his parents (Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan) and brother; the arrival of their dead son's girlfriend (Carey Mulligan) complicates matters. While it's hard to say at this point whether there's more drama or melodrama to the film, the tearjerket aspect seems certain, so I'm packing some tissues in my backpack just in case. The greater question is whether the emotional impact will feel manipulative or genuinely moving, but word is Mulligan's performance is impressive, and Sarandon and Brosnan could pack a powerful punch.
I also wanted to catch The September Issue and Rudo y Cursi, but scheduling conflicts will prevent me from catching these until later in the fest. Once again, I'll be posting short takes of the films as soon as they're over, with longer reviews coming a bit later, so check back throughout the day for what's new.