Review of The River Within (2009) by Kyle A — 15 Nov 2009

"The River Within" is, at it's most basic, a film about small town life and the confusion of trying to find your place in this world. It's, by far, the most worthwhile film I've seen in quite a few years dealing with those subjects.

The most admirable thing about "The River Within" is that, unlike most films of its kind, "TRW" truly captures the essence of a small town and the lives of the people in it. Being from Small Town, USA, myself and others become really critical of how films portray the people and locale, and "TRW" does a fine job of that. It's realistic and unbiased in its portrayal of the lives of these people.

The characters, most especially Paul and David, are solid. While watching the film, it's easiest to connect with these two and their different problems.That's another thing that's admirable about "TRW;" the problems are relatable to most everyone, whether you grew up in a rural, urban, or suburban community. Everyone knows someone who's dealt with the loss of a family member, or an unplanned pregnancy, or an oppressive parent, or small-town or church politics getting in the way, or regretting never following their dreams.

David, the church pastor, is a good man, but he's not infallible. He's real, he has complications, and he's blind to them. I'm sure plenty of actual church pastors are much like him and find themselves in those situations sometimes. The actor, Craig Morris, fills the David role perfectly. The other truly great character, Paul, has is own set of issues that are revealed in time, and the way actor Craig Luttrell hints at the problems before they finally surface is very good. This is better noticed on a second viewing. Genre limitations aren't as prevalent in "TRW," and I think that's what makes these characters better than their counterparts.

The film is beautifully directed by first-time-director, Zac Heath, and nearly all of the acting is spot on. It has its shortcomings here and there, but for the small budget and genre limitations, the film is among the best of its kind. It brings to mind tiny films like "Paranormal Activity," "El Mariachi," and "The Blair Witch Project." Not that "The River Within" is like any of those films subjectively, it's just that they all have that really-good-for-the-budget feel, and they're landmarks in their genres. "TRW" feels like it could be the beginning of a genre transformation.

Overall, the film has a great story, events, and characters. It's nice to see a tiny film be so engrossing and effective.