Sundance: Mass

Starring: Jason Issacs, Ann Dowd, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney, Breeda Wool

Director: Fran Kranz

Years after an unspeakable tragedy that was caused by Linda (Ann Dowd) and Richard's (Reed Birney) son, Jay (Jason Issacs) and Gail (Martha Plimpton) are finally ready to talk and put the events behind them. As the families sit down to unravel what led to the violent events of the past, the grief and pain from both sides begins to surface as the families attempt to close the book on the past.

Wow. Just Wow. What an emotional roller coaster.

This type of film is hard to pull off, especially given the subject matter at hand. A lot of credit goes to writer/director Kranz for not only tackling a tough subject for his directorial debut but also setting the film in a single location that takes place in real time and doing so with a welcome sincerity. Not only do you understand where all the characters come from but you sympathize with them all. There is a raw, emotional, and honest core to the film that really connects.

It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to get going, focusing on the the young woman who is setting up a room in her Episcopal church where the conversation is going to take place. Kranz keeps the particulars of the story from the audience during this time, quietly building tension until the families get there. Even once they start talking, the details of what actually happened many years ago are slowly parceled out. Each character has their own agenda and each character's understanding of what happened isn't black and white. Not only does this keep us involved but really allows room for the actors to do their thing.

All of the actors deliver, which shouldn't come as a surprise given the talent Kranz has at his disposal. I can't even really single out one performance over another, they all play off each other so well. There were many times where I was so absorbed in the drama happening on screen I forgot I was watching a movie. That is a powerful thing for any film to achieve, let alone a debut film.

This is a heavy wrenching drama about grief, hope, and ultimately forgiveness filled with stellar performances that will likely stick with me for a long time. So far this is my favorite of the festival.

Grade: A