Young love can be amazing. It can make you high, and it can right the wrongs in your life–but it can also cause trouble if you’re not careful. When Sam (Parker Padgett) finds out that his new girlfriend, Ana (Devon Hales), is pregnant, his life is turned upside down. With no money, no father figure to look up to, and no chance of being a good father himself, Sam must find a way to provide for his unborn child. As a teenager life can be difficult enough, but with a baby on the way, Sam’s life is now more difficult than ever. Sam hopes not just to be a good person, but to be an Icon for his baby–something he never had growing up.
I love the lighting of Icon; it plays such a pivotal role in how the film develops, in how characters are received, and how viewers ultimately feel about the film. It feels like the majority of Icon is incredibly bright, like nearly every moment is vibrant and full of life–except for the moments of hardship and pain. The juxtaposition of light is brilliant, it’s all-encompassing, and it expresses the meaning of each and every scene with aptitude and passion. The light is so important to the film, but the darkness that permeates Icon is just as important, helping to slowly develop Sam’s story and paint a beautiful picture of his entire existence.
Padgett is impeccably talented. He’s tasked with leading a film full of emotional perills, heinous acts, and unbearable circumstances. He’s young, but he has the abilities of some of the best up and comers in Hollywood. He finds emotion in each and every scene, and he allows that emotion to rise to the surface throughout the entirety of Icon. Padgett ultimately becomes the voice for the film, the vessel by which the entire story is told, the way in which the emotion in each and every scene is realized by viewers. The entire cast is talented, but Padgett shines the brightest.
Writer-Director Tony Ahedo develops a film that has a great number of moving parts. Sam’s story is constantly shifting, and Ahedo crams a lot of information into the feature film–but he does so in a way that allows the film to flow smoothly on a clearly planned trajectory. For the first hour-and-thirty minutes the film moves forward incredibly well, but something changes in the last ten. As Sam’s story comes to a close, all of the moving parts of his journey must conclude effectively–completely wrapped up without any true loose ends. It’s in the final moments of Icon that Ahedo isn’t quite sure how to proceed. So much of what Sam experiences throughout the course of Icon concludes appropriately, but there are aspects of his journey that seem open-ended, and this benefits no one (not Sam or the supporting characters, not the viewers, and not the narrative).
From the opening moments of Icon until the closing moments, emotion is present–and brilliantly so. Icon has the ability to tap into the darkest depths of your being and pull some of your more difficult memories to the surface. Ahedo and Padgett make those things possible. Together, the two young filmmakers create a film that will surely appeal to the masses, creating a bond with viewers early on in the project. With the exception of the closing moments, Icon hits every note–sure to find its way into the hearts of many. Everyone involved possesses a lot of talent, but Ahedo and Padgett, either together or apart, have the potential to do great things.
Written & Directed by Tony Ahedo.
Starring Parker Padgett, Devon Hales, Julia Denton, Brice Anthony Heller, Tony Demil, Davina Reid, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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