The BitLanders Film Series to Support Women Empowerment: STRANGE WEATHER
Photo credit: imdb.com - Edition by Amber255 via Bitlanders.com
One of the four movies of the Bitlanders series to support women empowerment is a STRANGE WEATHER. The well-known director Katherine Dieckmann of such movies as Motherhood and Diggers this time created an adventure drama about a mother who searches for a way to move forward after the death of her son.
The director Katherine Dieckmann said that it took as many as five years for the creation of STRANGE WEATHER. To the protagonist role, she invited a well-known actress who for ten years had not had a leading role in any film - Holly Hunter.
She’s very rigorous. That’s an amazing gift because she always wants the work to be better. She’s way harder on herself than anybody could ever be. She’s exacting with herself and she’s exacting with everyone else. She elevates the energy and the focus of the company because she doesn’t ever relax for a second. She’s a tightly wound person because she’s extremely smart, she’s one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met in my life. She’s rigorous and I personally welcome that, I think it’s a gift. - Director Katherine Dieckmann about Holly Hunter
Credit: filmschoolrejects.com
STRANGE WEATHER is a dramatic film from a talented director about how sometimes it can be difficult to forgive yourself, to find the strength and goals to live on after the great life turmoil.
Director Katherine Dieckmann looked at main movie aspects such as female grief and friendship in a bit different way that is rarely shown in Hollywood movies. This theme is really rarely dealt with in nowaday's movies at all. And that is a reason why I chose to watch the STRANGE WEATHER when I saw it in Bitlanders' given list. So, it is time for some entertainment.
STRANGE WEATHER - Official Trailer - Video credit: Katherine Dieckmann via Bitlanders.com
The Short Story of The Movie
Darcy Baylor (Holly Hunter) is a simple woman who has experienced terrible grief. It's been seven years since that tragic day when her son committed suicide, but she still cannot recover from the loss and set a normal life. The death condemns them to eternal separation. Mother's heart feels guilty for the lack of caring; she is blaming herself for careless behavior. The torments of conscience fall on the shoulders of the loving mother. The only person who was dear to her has passed away too quickly, leaving her in crushing solitude.
She is at a crossroad, having lost touch with reality, which has become a torturous cell for a suffering soul. Friends do not understand the changes that have happened to the first cheerful and talkative woman. Reconciling with guilt does not succeed with simple psychological methods.
Holly Hunter in STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: imdb.com
Suddenly, Darcy got to know the truth about what could cause the death of her son. Many secrets remained unsolved after the tragic incident. Observing the former classmates of her deceased son, Darcy learns that one of his friends Mark (Shane Jacobsen) whom she never liked, was able to create a restaurant empire. Business brings him millions of dollars, and he enjoys undeserved glory among the population. And only Darcy knows that he stole the idea of doing business. She remembers how her son worked on the future restaurant franchise's plan and believed that sooner or later he would be able to make good on it.
The environment works like electricity stream, reminding her of an irretrievable loss. Observing how the "strange weather" covers all the corners, the grieving woman is determined to move from the usual life. The route chosen should become a punishment for past mistakes. Far from home, it's easier to stop an existence. Just need to find a place and join her beloved son and, at the same time, to punish the Mark. Darcy moved on to the road with the best friend Byrd (Carrie Coon).
Holly Hunter in drama STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: twitter.com
The heroine has to travel the country, asking friends and comrades who can share useful information. From the crumbs of truth and the reticence, the picture begins to emerge little by little hinting the truth of her son death's reasons. The veil of secrets gradually falls off, exposing the ugly skeletons.
Getting closer to the truth, Darcy gets a revolver, confident in her own actions. At the crucial moment, she thinks that will not hesitate to push the trigger, wishing to punish the perpetrator, who remained beyond the bounds of the law too long. The prolonged journey runs to the end point of the path of justice.
This trip will benefit her and will help to find harmony with the past, present, and future.
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The Content of The Movie
Sometimes people’s lives are far from being the best - they have to live with the loss and hopelessness of their lives, spending their days in silence, humility, and not wanting to think a lot.
Let's talk about the heroine, the main protagonist of the drama STRANGE WEATHER. The worst thing that a mother can endure is the funeral of her child. Alas, Darcy had suffered this. After all, the evil destiny had taken her only son, her little boy, to the heavens prematurely. Darcy could not survive the loss of a son.
Holly Hunter talks about her heroine in STRANGE WEATHER - Video credit: Deadline Hollywood via Youtube.comProtracted depression, self-torturing, and the search for causes - a woman who was daily killed by sorrow blamed herself. This little oversight has become a cause for such a terrible tragedy. She should have lain under the ground, not a boy. From such thoughts, the wisdom of the poor mother finally ceased to perceive reality. And eventually, Darcy decided to end the life full of big and go to heaven to her son.
But to make her last breath the woman decided in a special place suitable for the role of the last landscape. Mom went on a journey across America, in search of that very place. But as if fate itself did not want to allow Darcy to make such a reckless step. On her road, she met with some strange and very special people, and the "strange weather" prevented to realize what she truly wanted when there was no one to interfere even.
Holly Hunter and Kim Coates in Hollywood movie STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: imdb.com
While traveled, she met many occasional fellow travelers, supporters, and citizens. At first, it's hard to say a few words to them. With time, the woman starts to observe the people she met on her road. Almost all of them suffer from a loss and carry on pain of sad experiences. Each interlocutor reveals his recipe how to heal the soul from torturing longing. Recalling the passed away loved ones or the lost opportunities, people have been searching for the inner strengths to deal with the circumstances. The woman step by step takes over the experience of the accidental healers of her soul to spread her wings again.
She drives across the boundless roads of the state and tries to find those people who knew her son with whom he had been friends and worked. A bunch of old photos and memories is all that she has. She is trying to reach the human hearts, but many do not understand her and consider her crazy, but she wants to understand what happened to her son. Finally, she finds the culprit of the tragedy and peals into his eyes. But here happens incredible thing: she realizes that she does not want to revenge anymore. Now she wants only one - peace of mind, and her bright memories of her son will stay with her forever.
Holly Hunter in a drama STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: descargatelotodo.com
STRANGE WEATHER is a drama about forgiveness and punishment, about trying to endure unbearable pain from the loss of a loved one.
I do not know why the movie has so many bad reviews. I was waited for such movie about life and especially about middle-aged women as this is a rarity in Hollywood movies. Holly Hunter is a great actor, and I enjoyed her personage a lot. It is such a calm film worth watching with family members if they are older than 15 years. Watching STRANGE WEATHER, you can talk about suicide and mental health with your children.
Actually, we do not see the suicide itself, but this act is widely discussed and even shown the gun and clothes the Walter wore when shot himself.
For some viewers, the dialogues may look too much and too boring, but it worth listening to them. They are here for a reason. It is a movie having very strong psychological nuance. There is a lot of love, tenderness nuances in this film, and the end offers us much tension that gives a push to the characters of this drama not so much represented on the screen at a current time.
To me Strange Weather – even though she literally reaches her destination, which is New Orleans, she doesn’t really reach her destination at all. At the very end of the movie, she’s sort of reached an emotional destination, but it’s never going to be a full destination because that’s what grief is, you don’t ever really fully process anything. You just kind of accept the fact that there is not going to be a solution or a finality to it. For me the road film kind of framed the emotional journey I wanted that character to take, so it made a lot of sense to use that idiom. - Katherine Dieckmann
Credit: filmschoolrejects.com
We saw many movies with a friendship between female, but these are often comedies. Now, we have a drama with a strong bond between two female roles. This fact was widely discussed by critics, and some wanted to see a male instead of Byrd - Carrie Coon. But why we always should involve sexual nuance in all movies? Does true friendship does not deserve its place?
Susan Gallagher and Holly Hunter in STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: imdb.com
When you hear that movie is about a suicide of a young man and grieving mother, you may think it is too depressing. It is not. There is a place for jokes, humor, and frivolity. And it forces you to think about what matters most in your life.
For me, it is obvious that many criticize STRANGE WEATHER for its femaleness. And yes, the grief is very important in this film as it is an important feeling in everyone's life. But I can mote, the grief was not simplified there. I have never had such a big loss as Darcy had, but I perfectly understand her feelings and could not say that it is a bad nuance to show in movies or that it makes the movie boring.
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The Technical Side of The Movie
The soundtrack, in my opinion, fits the movie mood, especially songs of singer and songwriter Sharon Van Etten. I must also mention the incorporation of the solo electric guitar. It added some charm to the film.
I cannot say something very bad about the operator's work, especially when he drew attention to the details, reinforcing the view. It looks like director Dieckmann paid big visual attention to the tactile details. In the shadow of the loss, they look so precious. The attention to the details of weather also reinforced our impressions.
The scenne of the drama STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: ceritapic.pw
Video edition was entrusted to Madeleine Gavin. She dealt with her job enough well. Just sometimes some scenes went boring, and some conversations looked a bit longer than they could be.
Costumes, visual effects could be better. The Darcy looked like a cowboy all the time, but it is kind of road films, so I think, this was the idea.
The Collective Work of The Actors
Holly Hunter
In the lively drama film STRANGE WEATHER, the audience sees the starring actress Holly Hunter. She is well-known for many films such as Manglehorn, Bonnie and Clyde, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I think she is the best actor who could perform the role of Darcy. Of course, there's some kind of attraction in Holly Hunter, and it looks, no matter how old she is, she is still performing great.
Holly Hunter in a drama STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: youtube.com
I just loved her in this role, and I wish to watch more movies with Holly Hunter. She proved to be a great actress. Holly Hunter deserved all of my praises.
In a quivering, bone-deep performance, Hunter takes Darcy from a mother encased in guilt to a woman who can acknowledge her shattering loss while still recognizing her right to be alive.
Credit: villagevoice.com
Holly Hunter brings her exciting subtlety, and her hippy look to this aging mother and carries the film from start to finish in her own way.
Carrie Coon
Another actor I want to mention is a friend of Darcy - Byrd Ritt (Carrie Coon). Byrd has hidden from Darcy that had a relationship with her son before his suicide. Now she is helping a friend who feels deep grief that is never-ending. However, this is not an easy task. I loved Carrie performance as she brought some light-heartedness to the gloomy sad movie. It's a bit mysterious but interesting personage.
Carrie Coon in a drama STRANGE WEATHER - Photo credit: youtube.com
Other Actors
There played some other great actors I could mention: Kim Coates in a role of Clayton Watson, ex of Darcy, Choppy Guillotte in a role of Professor Collins, Walker Babington in a role of Dennis, Johnny McPhail as Wes, and others.
On the Final Note
The STRANGE WEATHER presents us a beautiful portrait of a woman: strong, independent, and vulnerable - who still seeks to regain a foothold many years after the suicide of her only son.
It is the story of pain and agony, despair and grief, about forgiveness, an attempt to look at the inner world to find the strengths for moving forward. It's a sensitive, live drama.
Director Katherine Dieckmann and Holly Hunter at the premiere of STRANGE WEATHER
Photo credit: hamptonsfilmfest.org
Darcy, the protagonist of this story, realizes that the terrible grief she suffered in her life, is just a test after which she will find again a chance for a new bright and happy life. The story of the heroine is a philosophical message, which reveals the need to cope with the inner pain, even so strong. After all, the sad "weather" in the end will be replaced by a strange clear.
The drama STRANGE WEATHER helps us to understand that even the strongest storm raging inside us will necessarily pass, and after that, the sun will shine again. The film is filled with a deep meaning, inner experiences, and it is able to leave a strong and bright aftertaste.
Make war with the past. Find peace with yourself - whispers the movie to us.
Verdict: it is not a masterpiece, but it will surely find its fans.
My rating: 7.5/10
Critics average: 55/100
Rotten Tomatoes: 59 % ( of 100)
IMDb: 5.7/10
Have a fun watching!!!
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You can check my other blogs with movie review:
1. The Bitlanders Film Series to Support Women Empowerment: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2. The Bitlanders Film Series to Support Women Empowerment: Beauty and the Beast
3. The Bitlanders Film Series to Support Women Empowerment: Arrival
4. The BitLanders Film Series to Support Women Empowerment: RED SPARROW
5. The BitLanders Film Series to Support Women Empowerment: FROZEN
Come back to find more...
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