Review of Sweet Virginia (2017) by S Y — 12 Nov 2017

When my friend offered me her ticket to go see a preview of a movie I would know nothing about, I said, okay, I'll go, why not? That's how things roll with the Reel Talk: Sneak Peek at TIFF. So, I showed up.

As the movie started, I got nervous, this is NOT a movie I would have proactively chosen to see. If it were on Netflix, I might have bailed after the first bit. Why? It's not my thing.

However, Canadian director Jaime M. Dagg takes the China Brothers script and flawlessly captures a segment of time and a series of events (with ridiculously fantastic acting) to bring the audience into the lives of some people. There is violence, but none of it is gratuitous. There is sex, but again, integral to the story and character development. I don't even want to tell you anything, because if you're like me, you're going to think, uh oh, train wreck, please don't go there... It goes there. And yet it doesn't. After the film, we got to hear from the director and I think I've fallen in love with his work. I now have to go watch his first film and will watch anything he makes in the future. I love the way he thinks, I love how he made a $2.5 million "small budget" movie with a vision that never wavered. The claustrophobia you feel from the way things unfold completely contrast with the beautiful backdrop of the Rockies.

Too good.