Reviews

Watching Music from the Big House is like diving into a world that society has long forgotten and chooses not to remember. The black and white exposure of the film gives it an interesting take, reminding the viewer that sometimes life is lived in the gray. It has a particular raw footage grounding effect in part due to its inspirational original music and camera work. It takes you on a journey as if you were seated shotgun during filming. While it's not a story of second chances or new beginnings it reminds us all that life is what you make of it and you must make due with what you have. The film does an extraordinary task of distracting you from the real nature of the individuals being documented, only then to bring you back to a sense of reality right before rolling the credits.

The title of this film could be better but as soon as you can get pass that it's really an excellent film. As a documentary it does its job of promoting its cause while never making you feel like you are force-fed information. In part this is due to the amazing cinematography and ease of watching. The movie has a very relaxed element, you can sit back and kick up your feet, and before you know it you forget you're in the theater until you hear laughter. At first glance the movie seems very vague and leaves you wondering where the storyline is going but it evolves quickly and has many subtleties making it a very moving piece. By the end of the film you feel connected to all the characters and even animals on a personal level. It leaves you yearning for more.