-Written by Kyle Bain.
Freya (Erin Hammond) and Fiona (Ciera Danielle) are sisters that have lived very different lives since the passing of their mother. Now, with no other option, the sisters must work together to deal with their dying, narcissistic, egotistical father (Philippe Caland). In Her Name follows the estranged sisters as they embark on a journey of emotional and mental peril.
Filmed entirely in black and white In Her Name remains somber and dramatic throughout. It captures these sentiments for sure, but there are underlying bits of comedy that steal from the film's intensity. I can’t honestly understand why Writer-Director Sarah Carter chose to include comedy in her film—as the levity steals from the potential intensity of these familial relationships. What this film ultimately lacked was true intensity. Sure, there are moments in which the brilliantly talented Hammond and Danielle get that much-needed drama across, but they are often handed something that feels like it would have been difficult with which to deal. They do what they can with the script, but they aren't given enough.
Additionally, In Her Name feels far too long. There’s a lot going on, things that really have nothing to do with the primary plot and do nothing to supplement it. It’s alright to have multiple storylines, as long as they work together, or at least don’t step on one another’s toes. In Her Name should have been a film about one thing and one thing only: the relationship between these women and their fathers. They are developed in odd ways outside of this relationship. A trimmed-down cast–to only three characters, a straight-forward story, etc. could have lent itself to a much shorter film, one that would have been easier to focus on. In the case of In Her Name less is more, but Carter doesn’t see that.
So, what did I like about In Her Name? Honestly, the two leads were wonderful. Hammond and Danielle are brilliantly talented actors that do well holding their own, but also help to support the others on screen. They could have easily taken over, they could have easily made this film all about them, but they, again and again, do what is best for the production as a whole.
Similarly, the relationship between the two women becomes a focal point of In Her Name–and the two actors bring it to life with gusto. However, I think this relationship goes beyond what the two actors bring to the table. This is just a well-developed aspect of In Her Name. I know that I said the focal point of the film should have been their relationship with their father, but, honestly, even he could have been eliminated from the film and Freya and Fiona’s relationship would have been enough to carry the film from start to finish. I believe that this is the most well-developed portion of the film, the thing that I gravitated toward the most. The most emotional moments are between the sisters, and when the comedy does work, it’s because it feels organic between them.
There seems to have been a lot of missed opportunities throughout the course of In Her Name, but also a lot of things that made it into the final cut of the film that didn’t need to be there. I could see In Her Name being a thirty-minute short film that built only on the relationship between Fiona and Freya–and I feel that it would have worked beautifully. Ultimately, there’s too much going on and there’s nonsensical humor that dulls the film–and the things that I loved. With all of that said, Danielle and Hammond do enough to hold the film together and make it worth watching.
Written & Directed by Sarah Carter.
Starring Erin Hammond, Ciera Danielle, Philippe Caland, etc.
6/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE
Comentários