Review of Higher Ground (2011) by Travis H — 14 Sep 2011

Vera Farmiga is probably best recognized to most people as the wide eyed, broadly smiling face in movies like Up in the Air and this year's Source Code. Her career has blossomed since the years when she was stuck playing hapless mommy figures in films like Joshua, Orphan, and Running Scared. Now established as one of today's most reliable actresses, equally adept at heavy dramatics and the back/forth of romantic comedy. In Higher Ground, in which she stars and makes her directorial debut, we get to see a hint of her spiritual side as Corrine, a woman struggling to connect with God and still maintain a sense of her own independence.

Based on Carolyn S. Briggs' memoir, This Dark World, the film follows her first as a free spirited young girl(played by Vera's younger sister, Taissa), married with kids at an early age and soon feeling the weight of life on her back. After a near death experience, she reconnects with God while her husband becomes something of a fanatical convert. Moving their family into a Christian community, it's there that Corrine slowly begins to lose her faith. The commune's binding structure minimizes her just for being a woman. Her free thinking ways are ignored or outright shunned, and her marriage has become cold and distant. The restrictions serve to only make Corrine more observant, more curious about herself and what could await her in the outside world. As her faith dwindles, other aspects of her life begin to crumble away.

Sometimes when a filmmaker is forced to direct themselves for the first time, they tend to over manage every other performer, but leave themselves free from guidance. Farmiga proves herself an equally capable director, bringing the same intelligence and emotional sensitivity behind the camera as in front. As Corinne, Farmiga is equal parts hilarity and intellectual curiosity. When Corinne smiles it's a powerful thing, cutting through the heavy gloom everyone else seems to be under. She's the polar opposite of nearly everyone else in camp, unafraid to ruffle a few feathers. It's clear that Farmiga is bringing some of her own questions and insights into the role, and obviously she has a deep love of the source material. It's very easy with a film like this to play to simple stereotypes, and I think Farmiga goes out of her way to not let that happen. Going too far would give the group a cult-like vibe, which would have done the entire story a disservice.

As Corinne, Farmiga is as luminous and vibrant as ever, I do wish we could have learned a bit more about the rest of the people she shares the screen with. Dagmara Dominczyk is a jolt of energy as Annika, Corinne's similarly minded best friend. John Hawkes is a welcome addition as well, although we don't see nearly enough of him.

Higher Ground asks a lot of big questions, and wisely doesn't try to answer them, leaving the audience to go on that journey of self discovery right alongside Corinne.