The cause, consequence and effect of a mature marriage breakdown hit heights in writer-director Hilary Brougher’s brand-new indie drama SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
Teacher and artist Lila (Talia Balsam) lives in an idyllic rural house, with a seemingly loving family and a clear-as-a-bell road towards her later years. However, all is shattered with the revelation that her husband, Edgar (Scott Cohen) has been playing away, aspiring and pretending to be a hotshot scriptwriter in her eyes, whilst making phone calls to his lover who is giving birth via his smartphone.
It is clear that there is a significant amount of history between Edgar and Lila, whose lives have become levelled out through their own experience and perspective as grown-ups and Lila feels a sense of suffocation and a desire to use forgiveness as a way to paper over the cracks. Her best friend is suffering from cancer, with a variety of treatments to help the evident, ongoing pain.
As Lila adapts to her new-found perspective, more honest and forthcoming truths about her own existence and purpose begin to seep out emotionally….
As with the acclaimed award nominee 45 YEARS, SOUTH MOUNTAIN delves deep in the heart of personal conflicts in the context of a marital union that reveals more and more as it develops in later years, sometimes to a more painful perspective than the sheer romantic purpose that we all aspire to when we have that first pang of young love.
This is a heartfelt and far-reaching experience, complimented by a solid script and great performances from leads Balsam and Cohen as two individuals clearly finding their paths veering towards a contrasting conclusion in their lives. It is exactly the sort of content that the #MeToo movement is crying out for, giving centre stage to a hugely talented actress who is certainly going to generate more buzz on the critical and festival circuit as this film progresses for the remainder of the 2020 release season.
Director Brougher has a background in short-form content, but she is an assured presence behind the camera and will certainly be a talent to watch for the future.
