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Reviews
Metamorphosis (2023)
Powerful Drama with a Supernatural Twist!
Over the past several years, Brigham McNeely has taken the concept of what a faith-based film is, and turned it on its head in creative, dramatic ways that truly leaves viewers in awe. With characters that come off as three-dimensional and well-written, to stories that don't shy away from the darker parts of humanity, his films come off as real, gritty looks at Faith in a fallen world. With his latest film, "Metamorphosis," he turns the spotlight on a subject that faith-based films rarely touch on in a serious manner, but one that should be addressed: drug addition.
"Metamorphosis" tells the story of Nicole, a young woman deep in the throes of opioid addiction. Her boyfriend, Zach, encourages her habits, while also dragging her into his sordid life on occasion. But things begin to change when a drifter named Gabriel comes into the town, and starts to protect her from Zach's more violent tendencies. As Nicole struggles with her addictions, Gabriel tells her of another way, as Zach and his friends look for a way to deal with this drifter once and for all.
From the very beginning of the film, "Metamorphosis" doesn't shy away from dealing with the subject matter in a raw, gritty way, showing the effects that drugs have on people, and the lifestyle of those in the world of drug use. It is not a pleasant world, and it gets uncomfortable from time to time. But that is the point of the story: to show viewers the effects of drug addiction and use, and the dark paths it can take. It helps you understand why Nicole feels helpless, and unable to leave this life of addiction behind.
At the same time, the character of Gabriel, points her toward a path that could change her life, if she is willing. So even though the film deals with a dark subject matter, it shows their is hope for those who truly want to get out of the lifestyle, and become more than what their addictions say they are. Both the darker subject matter, and the more hopeful possibilities, are presented in a way that is relatable, and understandable.
The performances in this film are terrific! From Greg Kriek's truly evil Zach, to Brigham McNeely's multi-layered portrayal of the drifter Gabriel, to Cass Huckabay's truly powerful performance as Nicole, all of the actors give their all to make the world of "Metamorphosis" feel real, and relatable, even when the film's more supernatural elements come into play in an exciting, powerful way!
"Metamorphosis" is another well-made film from Brigham McNeely, with exceptional performances, a great script, and a powerful message about the struggles of addiction, and how there is a way out for those who choose to do so. I highly recommend it!
Grade: A-
The Holy Heist (2020)
A Terrific Faith-based Heist Thriller!
In the past five or six years, actor and filmmaker Brigham McNeely has made a name for himself in independent film circles. Having starred in different projects (Including two seasons of the Fox News Documentary series "Legends & Lies," and the acclaimed historical drama Our War), he first stepped behind the camera for 2016's Conviction, a faith-based film short that tackled a hot-button issue without any condemnation. With notice from that project, his follow-up film, the 2017 faith-based short feature Sacred, was released to great acclaim, and has been successful in its run on several online platforms, including Amazon Prime, Christian Cinema and PureFlix. With both films, McNeely has brought a realistic feel to the faith-based genre, setting them within a world that is both real, and relatable. And now, McNeely returns with his most ambitious production to date: the faith-based heist thriller/drama The Holy Heist.
The Holy Heist tells the story of the Jefferson brothers, three siblings who've grown up to be criminals, stealing money as a means of income. Led by middle-brother James (McNeely), he, along with eldest brother Jack (Greg Kriek, best known for movies such as Samson and The Recce), and youngest brother Bobby (Dillon Mann, Conviction), the three brothers are trying to continue their criminal crusade, while being pursued by their former pastor, now Police Detective, Danny (Danny M. Gray, Sacred). After a robbery comes off with limited returns, James considers giving up the life of crime, until a family emergency involving their mother (Dawn Hopson, Our War), and the chance at a bank heist with a $5 Million score, leads the brothers into one last robbery, to help their Mom, and save her home. But with Bobby experiencing a crisis of faith and conscience, and Jack becoming more and more mentally unstable, the brothers will face personal and logistical choices that will either win them fortune, or prison cells.
As he had done with his previous film, The Holy Heist is a faith-based film with grit, and realism, set within a world that is believable, and relatable. In a genre that is known for weak characterization and hackneyed storytelling, McNeely knows how to keep his stories grounded in realism, and his characters realistic, and giving the genre a bolt of excitement that is sadly lacking (Save for films from the Kendrick Brothers, who McNeely is definitely on par with in terms of quality).
The acting is overall fantastic in the film. Given top billing on the film is Grek Kriek, who does a fantastic job of bringing Jack Jefferson to life. Energetic, alcoholic, and downright insane, Kriek gives this over-the-top character a level of believability that you can't help but be fascinated by, even as his mental state deteriorates throughout the course of the film. As the head of the trio, McNeely (wearing multiple hats as writer, executive producer, director and actor) gives an equally powerful performance as James, giving his best performance to date in a film project. As the youngest brother, it can be said that Dillon Mann's Bobby Jefferson is the heart of the film. As they prepare for their biggest heist to date, Bobby becomes wracked by guilt over all that they've done, struggling with a long-dormant faith that is beginning to rise, while also struggling to keep in line with his brothers and their plans. Mann's performance is very nuanced, and you can't help but feel sympathy for him as he deals with his crises of faith and conscience.
Danny M. Gray, as Detective Danny, gives a terrific performance. A former pastor who left the pulpit to become police detective, his reasons are shrouded in mystery, as he works to bring the Jefferson brothers down, and stop their crime spree, despite a lack of hard evidence. Gray infuses the role with both mystery, and power, as he comes to realize that his actions could lead people to their deaths. The rest of the cast give solid, terrific performances.
From a technical and writing standpoint, the film is very close to top-notch for this genre. Cinematographer Darin Holliday (Sacred) creates some powerful, quality images that rival anything recently put out from Hollywood, and his editing of the film is fantastic, keeping the film moving along at a steady, dramatic pace. Sound design (With sound captured by A.D. Weighs) is overall phenomenal, and the original score by Alex Paspa gives the film further dramatic heft. Add in some great production values, and a steady directing hand by McNeely, The Holy Heist truly shines as one of the finest faith-based dramas ever made.
Overall, The Holy Heist is a fantastic faith-based film, with terrific performances, and quality production values, that gives a further burst of adrenaline to a genre that continues to provide an alternative to Hollywood's offerings. If you love the films with powerful, faith-inspired messages, or great heist films, then you're sure to enjoy The Holy Heist.
Grade: 9.5/10 (A)
Sacred (2017)
"Sometimes your greatest opponent...is yourself."
There was a time when the faith-based films (Or "Christian" films) weren't considered top-quality productions. In the past few years however, that has changed. Recent films like Courageous, War Room, God's Not Dead and Heaven is for Real have shown that movies focusing on strong characters and simple stories, without trying to outdo Hollywood blockbusters on independent budgets, will do well with modern audiences looking for "alternatives" to what Tinseltown has to offer.
One of the up and coming filmmakers working on strong, character-driven films with a faith-based message is Brigham McNeely. In 2016, he produced his first movie, a short film called Conviction, which was received well upon its release. From the strength of that short, he has now moved on to his first feature-length film (Note: Any film over 45 minutes in length is considered a feature-length), entitled Sacred.
Sacred tells the story of Barrett Lennox, an aspiring boxer who's living a troubled life. He and his wife Danielle (Kristen Danielle) live in a small apartment, while he struggles to become a professional, under the tutelage of his Father-in-Law, Edward Jones (Danny M. Gray). As he tries to prove himself in the ring, the events of his past, and family pushing him to get a "real job," leave Barrett with an intense anger that he cannot get rid of. As his struggles continue, he finally comes to the realization that he cannot fight this anger himself, and must decide whether to put his life in the hands of a higher power, and free himself of his darker thoughts and instincts.
From the very beginning, Sacred proves to be a different film from most faith-based cinema. As he did with his film Conviction, writer and director Brigham McNeely doesn't shy away from darker, real-world events. These characters, even those with faith in God, are living in a realistic situation that tests their faith and conviction. But through the darkness and tragedy, a light shines to remind the world of something greater, just beyond the veil. Sacred does fantastic work of making the world a believable one, where light and dark are at war, even within one's own soul.
The cast in this film does commendable work. Brigham McNeely delivers a powerful performance as Barrett, the film's central character. He does great work of portraying a man in conflict with his own anger, as well as those events that test him, only to finally realize that he cannot do it alone. The scenes where he is saved are powerfully-done, and the transformation from the old man to the new is portrayed realistically, and powerfully. Throughout the entire film, Brigham McNeely gives the role his all, making it easy to connect with his character, and the struggles he faces.
As his wife Danielle, Kristen Danielle delivers a strong performance. She brings a warmth, as well as strength, to her role as the wife who will stand by her husband through all of his struggles. And as Barrett's Father-in-Law, trainer and mentor, Danny Gray delivers a powerful performance as Edward Jones, a man who's no-nonsense, but also has a heart for the young man married to his wife, and struggling to make a name for himself in the ring. Mr. Gray also delivers one of the film's most powerful moments, when he discusses his beliefs with Barrett in a restaurant, and how relying on God's love will transform a man into what he is meant to be. Mr. Gray's performance in this scene is very powerful, and deserves some recognition in the acting community. The rest of the cast deliver solid, commendable performances.
Brigham McNeely's script is well-rounded, and fast-paced. The production values are very strong for this low-budget piece, which was shot beautifully by Darin Holiday of Electric Films. The editing, sound design and music all come together to help elevate the film's powerful story and message. In closing, Sacred is a powerful film about the power of faith to change a man's life, and how even in the darkest of times, that the light can still be seen. I highly recommend this film to anybody who enjoy serious drama, and great stories.
Grade: 9/10 (A-)
Free State of Jones (2016)
"You cannot own a child of God."
It's a shame that this little-known story from the American Civil War couldn't have been presented in a better film. While it is far from a horrible film, it is a disappointing one for certain. A lot of the weakness boils down to the screenplay for the film. While the film covers over fourteen years of time, it does so in a way that is downright dull at times. The filmmakers chose to devote most of the film's screen time in the first hour to the buildup to the events leading to the creation of the Free State. While this does give us time to get to know Knight, the people he would come to lead, and how the situation affects them, it spends a little too long getting there. It is just a series of meetings between people, discussions and speeches about how things are, and what should be done about it, and long glances and walks from place to place.
When events do finally move toward driving Confederates out of Jones County, it is done, and over very quickly. What should've been the main focus of the film takes up just twenty or so minutes of screen time. The last forty minutes or so of the film deals with Reconstruction, and how Knight attempted to fight the return of slavery in, albeit by another name, and getting men of color the right to vote. While this part of the story is compelling, it feels by this point that the filmmakers are just wanting to tell as much of Knight's story as possible in one film. This ends up hurting the film, as it starts to feel like too much on the plate.
What's more, the filmmakers also chose to include a subplot with one of Knight's descendants in 1947. The subplot tells of Davis Knight and his getting married. However, because Davis was the great-great-grandson of Knight and his wife Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a black woman, that made him 1/8 black, and therefore, a black person not eligible to marry a white in Mississippi at that time. He was sent to prison for this "crime," but the conviction was eventually overturned. While it is also a compelling and powerful story, it deserves to be told in its own film, and not in a film whose focus was on a completely different story altogether.
And therein lies the central problem of Free State of Jones. At the end of the day, the film attempts to tell three different stories in its 139-minute running time, making it a film with very little focus. For those who might not be familiar with the era and its people, this might make the film difficult to follow. And despite these different stories, the story drags from time to time. It definitely feels more like something that should've been a History Channel docudrama, with historian interview thrown in (Replacing the film's use of text titles to explain events).
However, despite these issues, there is much to admire in the film. It's beautifully-shot, and has a very powerful cast. McConaughey does a fantastic job as Newton Knight, bringing this character to life with a realism that does make you admire what he stood for. Mbatha-Raw gives a very effective performance as Rachel, the slave and healer who eventually becomes Knight's wife, and joins him in his quest. Mahershala Ali, as the runaway slave Moses, gives the film's most subtle performance, understating his character's desire to be treated as a man despite the color of his skin.
In probably the film's most powerful moment, when Knight asks Moses why he wants to be free, he gives the film's greatest sentiment: "Because you cannot own a child of God." It is this scene, and the interaction between the characters, that really makes Free State of Jones come alive. We understand these people, and care for them. So, when brutal acts come to them, we are saddened and angered by their loss.
The few action scenes are well-shot and edited, giving the film a visceral impact. The recreation of the fighting around Corinth, is well-staged, exciting, and brutal. There are a few historical quibbles (Formations seem to not be consistent between shots, in addition to uniforms and equipment looking a little inaccurate), but it conveys the brutality of war, and its impact on the individual.
However, despite all the good it has going for it, this is not a film I can fully recommend. While it does have great performances, and some great technical merits in how it's shot, Free State of Jones squanders its opportunity to tell a powerful story by delivering a film that lacks a focused narrative, and is boring at times. Only those with a real interest in the period, and learning more about this story, will find something to appreciate. But even for history buffs like myself, it leaves a lot to be desired. In the end, Free State of Jones is neither a good experience, nor a bad one. It's just a middling experience.