It was enormously confusing in this film just to figure out basic expository details about the characters. The most confusing of all was the protagonist, Marissa Bennings, played by Miss Swank.
Even some of the best reviewers on this site were flummoxed by the character who is the mother of two boys, Michael and Toby. Toby continuously greets Marissa with the salutation, "Hi, Mom!" Unfortunately Miss Swank does not look old enough to be this man's mother.
Other expository lapses included the background on Marissa's ex-husband Frank. How and when he died was never explained in the film. Nor was the background on Mike fully developed: he had a great pitching arm that was ruined by overuse as a teen. Was that disappointment the reason for his lapse into the world of drugs? Why the estrangement of Mike from his mom? Never explained.
The only scene in the film that had some credibility was the support group sequence in which the moving confessional of Laurie rang true about the death of her daughter due to fentanyl. And the drugs being distributed by both of Marissa's sons. Marissa then drives Laurie home and visits a safe haven for drug users. It is small wonder than Marissa then heads for a bar for her regular shots of hard liquor.
The bleak environment of Albany, NY, was not very convincing in the area of cinematography. The roads were not trafficked, the streets were under-populated, and the bars were empty of customers.
Marissa was a reporter/editor for the Times-Union. But she never does any work, other than to write and then destroy a single article. Also, it was never clear why "Ducky" (Everett Duchowski) clocked Marissa on the head. Another unanswered question: Will Toby ever be held accountable for killing poor Paige? All of these amateur filmmaking snafus suggest a very shallow and poorly made film.
Even some of the best reviewers on this site were flummoxed by the character who is the mother of two boys, Michael and Toby. Toby continuously greets Marissa with the salutation, "Hi, Mom!" Unfortunately Miss Swank does not look old enough to be this man's mother.
Other expository lapses included the background on Marissa's ex-husband Frank. How and when he died was never explained in the film. Nor was the background on Mike fully developed: he had a great pitching arm that was ruined by overuse as a teen. Was that disappointment the reason for his lapse into the world of drugs? Why the estrangement of Mike from his mom? Never explained.
The only scene in the film that had some credibility was the support group sequence in which the moving confessional of Laurie rang true about the death of her daughter due to fentanyl. And the drugs being distributed by both of Marissa's sons. Marissa then drives Laurie home and visits a safe haven for drug users. It is small wonder than Marissa then heads for a bar for her regular shots of hard liquor.
The bleak environment of Albany, NY, was not very convincing in the area of cinematography. The roads were not trafficked, the streets were under-populated, and the bars were empty of customers.
Marissa was a reporter/editor for the Times-Union. But she never does any work, other than to write and then destroy a single article. Also, it was never clear why "Ducky" (Everett Duchowski) clocked Marissa on the head. Another unanswered question: Will Toby ever be held accountable for killing poor Paige? All of these amateur filmmaking snafus suggest a very shallow and poorly made film.