User Reviews

I enjoy indie films and I tend to watch a lot of them. I enjoy them because every once in a while you come upon a little gem. Well for me, that's how I feel about this wonderful indie film. I loved the story and the acting. The acting was spot on and the story very relatable. Great job all. You get a thumb's up from me on this one.

A VERY strong lead performance puts this intriguing indie above others. If you enjoy a good slow burn, I recommend checking this one out. Well worth your time.

This debut film by Catherane Skillen quickly establishes its voice by subverting the ageist narrative tropes of Hollywood. Skillen paints a thin but sincere tale about reclaiming identity in the face of death. A reminder to always keep growing.

"Ava- A Twist In The Road" is a brave, touching indie film about loss, survival, and rebirth that explores issues that big budget, mainstream films are reluctant to explore. It tells the story of a mature, late middle aged woman named Ava who has it all - an affluent lifestyle,a beautiful home, and a devoted lover soulmate named Ben who provides all the aforementioned luxuries. But then Bob dies, and Ava loses not only her soulmate but his income. When Bob's hateful son contests his will, Ava is left penniless has no choice but to look for work. Writer, director, editor, and star does an excellent job of telling Ava's story. I say her film is brave because not many filmmakers, even indie ones, are willing to make a film about an older protagonist. A memorable film.

In "Ava: A Twist in the Road," triple-threat director, writer, and actress Catherane Skillen has crafted a powerful character study that thematically explores the power of love and the overwhelming emotions associated with loss. Catherane provides a strong performance as Ava, an older woman struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of her soul mate. Her raw performance, coupled with strong supporting performances, amplifies the emotional story, and keeps the audience rooting for Ava's success. For a drama rife with pathos, the pacing is perfect and the cinematography, editing, and score all work together to support the film's message: find strength in loss.

I've worked as a financial advisor for many years and I have had scores of women relate the same situation that this movie is talking about. They have a loving partnership with their mate, but during their entire time together it was always the man who took care of all financially related matters. Often times, the woman will say that she's not good with money, or that her husband is far better. Then when the man suddenly passes, the woman is often in financial dire straits because there was no planning or education. There are a lot of character archetypes in this film, especially rich, pampered older ladies who may one day find themselves in the same position as the main protagonist, Ava. What I found interesting about Ava, was that she wanted to live her new, unexpected situation on her own terms, even in the face of incredible stress and adversity. I'm sure this one will resonate with a lot of folks.

I can not believe prime video actual aired this, Poor Poor acting and painfully slow and the main charactor didn't feel sorry for her at all. Watched the whole movie haha the whole time asking myself why, why are you watching this my 2 bits.

Ava-A Twist in the Road is a film that details the aftermath of a late in life tragedy that undoes all the plans made. Facing loss, the main character works through a maze of situations, people, emotions, and grief, and shows how she navigates the competing agendas and needs of those she comes in contact with. It also deals with her own issues that need resolution to move forward. Ultimately, this is a wonderful film that makes one think what choices would I make if faced with the same situation. Nice acting and a well produced movie for those in a contemplative mood.

A relatable, universal story. Kept me wondering what was going to happen next; was not expecting the twists and turns. It's a relationship drama film that you will still be thinking about even after you watch it.

The lead grandfatherly actor is strong and solid. The lead grandmotherly actress struggled throughout. Some shaky camera movements didn't fit in or were done by mistake and without use of a tripod. The "f" word was used at least twice unnecessarily. Some of the other actors seemed new to acting. I guess the biggest drawback was how slow the movie was it just seemed like it dragged on and on.

This is a beauty of the indie film world, telling the story of an unlikely lead character who finds herself stuck in a bad situation after a tragedy. Grief is becoming a more talked about topic these days, and this film dives powerfully into that realm, with an effective nonlinear flow of the grief experience, and illustrating the importance of good friends. It offers both a cautionary tale of planning for your future, and an inspiring glimpse of meeting head on what life throws at you. With a dreamy interesting visual style and truthful acting, especially by the films' lead who is also the filmmaker, I enjoyed this unexpected indie gem.

This was a good movie. The writing was good along with the directing of the film. I wish the ending was different. People really need to have their affairs in order because when the inevitable happens. What now? This film definitely challenges people to think.

That's always the first rule for me. Make me care about the lead and the story, and this film did just that. Her struggles were relatable and the story held me throughout. As someone in the middle of life, it's always nice to see a story with more mature characters. And the acting and storytelling was excellent!

I love that the writer/director/producers or whoever decided to tell the story with mature actors, using issues people must face as we age. Too often movies overlook these issues and struggles. I really appreciate that this film has a strong female lead, who is also older, which we don't see in many movies. One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. AVA: A Twist In The Road is a great indie gem that the big studios could learn from. Thanks to the filmmakers for making this movie and for showing the world we can still find hope at any age.

At its core, 'AVA: A Twist in the Road' is a raw survival story about a woman whose life drastically changes overnight, but refreshingly, the character played by Catherane Skillen is of an older age that is typically not well represented in films.

Living in a city full of wealthy Gatsby's like Los Angeles, I imagine the kind of romantic relationship in which the protagonist finds herself is not too uncommon. And while it would be easy to pass judgement and blame her for her problems, you can't help but empathize with her on a human level as we see a genuinely kind spirit being thrust back into a cutthroat, hyper-individualistic society.

Through nasty characters and uncomfortable interactions, the film reminds us of the brutal reality and people's true colors underneath the sunny, cheery facade that is Los Angeles. It serves as a cautionary tale that we are all responsible for ourselves at the end of the day.

The film is a slow burn that takes its time for those who are less attentive or impatient but I would recommend this film to anyone who has experienced life changing events and found themselves starting over.

One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. Many legendary older actors in the industry are often sidelined in favor of younger generations in most films. Older women have it even worse, often being relegated to specific roles, like the evil stepmother. A range of stories can be told with an older protagonist and older women and AVA: A Twist in the Road shows this off well.

This film is anything but a traditional drama. The story beats that are expected of the film don't happen. Instead, the film goes on a more freeform path where major story and character elements just happen. Is this a bad thing? Far from it. Movies shouldn't have to be predictable, because why would I want to see something where I can predict what's going to happen in the next scene? Although the film doesn't have a traditional approach, it ultimately succeeds at telling a story about moving on and becoming self-sufficient.

Some of my favorite shots in the film have to be when Ava is grieving in her home after learning of Bobby's tragic death. Unlike some films that I've seen, Ava's portrayal of grief is very accurate. She shuts herself in away from her friends, drinks her sorrows away and struggles to move on. Meanwhile, her neighbors and friends try to help her move on from Bobby's death by bringing her food and flowers. Throughout the film, Ava struggles to overcome her loss, as her previous idyllic life begins crumbling around her. Despite the film's strengths, there are a few problems I had with it. Some of the film's dialogue felt a bit too on-the-nose. Additionally, some of the lines delivered were a bit weak, and I also felt a few of the scene transitions were a bit too tacky at times and could have been toned down a bit.

Carrying the film is our lead played by Catherane Skillen. Her earnest performance makes Ava both relatable and likable. While she doesn't nail every line delivery, her performance feels very real, something many actors struggle with. My second favorite performance has to be Tannis Benedict who had the best line delivery as Ava's best friend, Leanne. However, I felt that Louie Mandrapilias as Michael was a bit stiff on his line delivery in his first few scenes, but noticeably improved later.

Overall, AVA: A Twist in the Road is good in its general storytelling and message. However, its technical side does suffer a bit, which occasionally takes me out of the film. Despite this, the film makes up for this by making Ava a likable protagonist who perseveres through and through. Is this film a perfect movie? No, but then again most films are not. But is it worth watching? Yes, I think it's worth a viewing, especially for those who are either undergoing or have underwent the cycle of grief.

'AVA: A Twist in the Road' by Catherane Skillen tells the story of the titular character as she navigates well, a twist in the road. That road being figurative of course in this bumpy thing we call life. Ava (Skillen) and her long-time partner Bobby (Bill Lewis) have a loving and healthy relationship. Just like all long-term relationships however, it isn't perfect. Bobby is away a lot for work and Ava wishes that they spent more quality time together. Suddenly, Bobby passes away and leaves Ava all alone. Having relied on Bobby for literally everything through their life together, this proves very difficult.

Firstly, having an older woman as the focal point of the story is certainly refreshing, as is the portrayal of she and Bobby's relationship as loving, playful and sexually active just as that of a younger couple, which is something that is often forgotten and not played up as much on the screen.

The narrative is clear and focused with a very straightforward A-B structure but just as the title alludes to, there are twists in the road and the loss of Bobby is not the only one. In addition to all the stress that Ava is facing trying to navigate life without the one person she counted on, Bobby's son Bob Jr. Ahem, I mean "Robert", bitter about the fact that his father left his mother for Ava, is trying to make sure that she gets nothing from his father's estate. At first, this sub-plot was interesting and even felt like the film could take on a thriller quality but it was dismissed rather quickly and ultimately the foundation laid and the characterisation of Robert ended up being unnecessary.

There are certainly some filmmaking wins in 'AVA' and a stand-out scene comes during her attendance at a party that she doesn't really want to be at. The scene takes on a dream-like quality as Ava is approached by a variety of people all sharing their personal opinions and stories with her, whilst the sounds of conversations and laughter close in creating a claustrophobic feeling which is reflective of what somebody in her situation might feel in a social situation, and will certainly be relatable to anybody who has experienced social anxiety.

There are some good performances here, mainly from Skillen and she manages to elevate those around her who give weaker, but not bad performances. Paired with some questionable editing choices and dated transitions, 'AVA' at times sort of resembles a Sunday afternoon soap opera. Bill Lewis as Bobby is also a standout,

The film isn't really sure what it wants to be with a shifting tone from light-hearted to depressing with the colour pallet and soundtrack to match. Of course, grief is a big part of the affair and that grief is less suggestive and more in an on the nose "I'm holding this knife and you know what that means!" kind of way. It's not an issue per se, but it wasn't totally necessary and seems to really want to make sure that you understand how depressed Ava is, assuming we aren't already aware of the impact that an event like this can have on a person.

The end comes rather quickly with the runtime clocking in at just 1 hour and 14 minutes. The film fails to deliver a big payoff as one might expect however there is a very nice moment of clarity to close.

Overall, 'AVA: A Twist in the Road' is an interesting but flawed picture with some relatable themes of love, loss but also serves as an important cautionary tale of making sure to take charge of your own life and not rely entirely on somebody else.

I can relate to this film after having lost the love of my life to cancer three years ago. Its also a story many can relate to. Ava unexpectedly loses the longtime love of her life and is thrown into turmoil and fights literally to survive the chaos that results.

Catherane Skillen, who wrote, directed and starred in the film is very compelling as its central and sympathetic figure. This film is truly a gem and not to be missed.

This is a movie that deals in the realm of the real. It's kind of a coming of age story for someone who's already lived a full life. It deals with love, loss and re-discovery of one's self as Ava has to traverse the trials and tribulations of overcoming loss. Yes, this is an independent movie, but achieves on high levels. It is well-acted, wonderfully shot, and delivers an impactful and meaningful story.

This little indie gem is for the fans of drama. There is death, legal battles, loss of identity and financial security.

Ava's life is turned upside down when the love of her life is taken form her. She then has to fight her way through family, friends and a lot of negativity in order to discover who she really is and what she wants...and it's definitely no joyride.

Any good movie begins with the main character. Show us their world, what is important to them and why, and we will be engaged. "Ava: A Twist in the Road" is a demonstration of this. Catherane Skillen, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film makes this abundantly clear by presenting us with an imperfect character that we come to understand and care about. Prompted by best friend Leanne (Tannis Benedict), she moves back into the world hoping to reintegrate and piece her life back together again. The movie depicts life choices I suspect many must face in later years. Nice turn by Sophiah Koikas (as matchmaker Irma). "AVA" is a courageous story that asks what it means to be independent, how to deal with extended families who shun you, and still find your light.