After a school shooting leaves 14 people dead, survivor Sean Ryan is forced to come to terms with loss.After a school shooting leaves 14 people dead, survivor Sean Ryan is forced to come to terms with loss.After a school shooting leaves 14 people dead, survivor Sean Ryan is forced to come to terms with loss.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe shooters last name, Harris, is an obvious reference to Columbine Massacre assailant Eric Harris. His first name, Ben, may possibly be a reference to the other Columbine shooter Dylan Klebold whose middle name was Bennet.
- ConnectionsVersion of Duck! The Carbine High Massacre (1999)
- SoundtracksNow
Written by Brendan B. Brown
Additional Bowed Bass Arrangements by Matthew T. Milligan
Performed by Wheatus
Courtesy of Montauk Mantis Productions Inc.
Featured review
Not a "Chick-Flick", but Instead... a Very "Human-Flick" True Story!
Based on actual events, April Showers draws us into the center of a tornado funnel cloud of events, by offering us a rather unique perspective...that of one of the survivors of violence unhinged.
Mass shootings at U. S. schools, like it or not, form a malignant presence on our cultural landscape. This film, if nothing else, accentuates the following inescapable truth: A shared episode of on campus mindless violence will divide the lives of all those present into "Before and After".
April Showers, obviously, is a labor of love. It was produced, written and directed by survivors. This simple reality makes the film incomparably original in a number of ways, but is simultaneously the source of April's one big flaw.
Let's focus on the positive elements first. Unlike any other movie I have seen about school shootings, almost all the violence is off-camera. No endless loop slow-mo's of exploding blood packets here! Also, never before have I seen a portrayal of those left behind in the wake of a tragedy like this, in such total shock as to be not only speechless, but practically paralyzed, days after the event. These excruciatingly awkward bouts of on-screen silence contribute to making April painful to watch at times. Sometimes very In-Your-Face aggressive about driving home a point, but just when you're ready to throw in the towel and say, "Enough already!" the Director manages to back off. You must be patient with this movie.
About halfway through, I was almost ready to give up on it. When all was said and done, it was an extremely satisfying experience. 2 hours after viewing, I decided it was most definitely a good movie. It could have been a really great one! The big flaw I mentioned earlier: April needed more character development before pulling the proverbial rug out from under the viewer's feet. The film provided a lot more development later on, though. Perhaps the Director's intention was to add to our sense of bewilderment and confusion, but it was almost a deal-breaker for me.
One other disappointment: Tom Arnold and Illeana Douglas had less than 10 minutes on-screen time between the 2 of them!
7.5*, rounded down to 7*.
ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!
Mass shootings at U. S. schools, like it or not, form a malignant presence on our cultural landscape. This film, if nothing else, accentuates the following inescapable truth: A shared episode of on campus mindless violence will divide the lives of all those present into "Before and After".
April Showers, obviously, is a labor of love. It was produced, written and directed by survivors. This simple reality makes the film incomparably original in a number of ways, but is simultaneously the source of April's one big flaw.
Let's focus on the positive elements first. Unlike any other movie I have seen about school shootings, almost all the violence is off-camera. No endless loop slow-mo's of exploding blood packets here! Also, never before have I seen a portrayal of those left behind in the wake of a tragedy like this, in such total shock as to be not only speechless, but practically paralyzed, days after the event. These excruciatingly awkward bouts of on-screen silence contribute to making April painful to watch at times. Sometimes very In-Your-Face aggressive about driving home a point, but just when you're ready to throw in the towel and say, "Enough already!" the Director manages to back off. You must be patient with this movie.
About halfway through, I was almost ready to give up on it. When all was said and done, it was an extremely satisfying experience. 2 hours after viewing, I decided it was most definitely a good movie. It could have been a really great one! The big flaw I mentioned earlier: April needed more character development before pulling the proverbial rug out from under the viewer's feet. The film provided a lot more development later on, though. Perhaps the Director's intention was to add to our sense of bewilderment and confusion, but it was almost a deal-breaker for me.
One other disappointment: Tom Arnold and Illeana Douglas had less than 10 minutes on-screen time between the 2 of them!
7.5*, rounded down to 7*.
ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!
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- Tony-Kiss-Castillo
- Nov 21, 2023
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,100,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $16,880
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,040
- Apr 26, 2009
- Gross worldwide
- $16,880
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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