A musician, Rachel (Tatiana Borie), who has been on tour for some time, returns home to spend time with a former lover and her friends. Everything feels normal again, but then life hits them in the face. It’s time for Rachel to go back on tour and leave her friends behind again. Rachel knows that soon all she will have left of her friends are memories of parties, drinks, and romance on the Rooftops. It’s possible that’s enough, but coming to terms with leaving is becoming more difficult than ever.
Rooftops is a story of life and love that mirrors many instances in the real world. We all have that one friend or family member who lives far away and that we only see on occasion, and it’s heartbreaking to see them leave each and every time (if you’re reading this, you know who you are). That’s the scenario represented in Bruce C. Bradbury III’s Rooftops. As Rachel reconvenes with her friends for the first time in a while she understands that it’s only for a brief period, and that fact alone is enough to tug at her heartstrings. Bradbury and his co-writer Zavier Henderson eventually capture this sentiment beautifully and bring to life a story that will surely resonate with everyone.
It seems that Rooftops was strapped for time, as some of the scenes, cinematography, and transitions are a tad choppy. I was turned off by these moments of imperfection, as they felt unnatural and ineffective in their attempts to convey emotion.
The acting in Rooftops is just average for the most part. I found Rachel--thanks to Borie--to be engaging and her encounter with Robert (Timothy J. Cox) to be successful, but the others that surrounded her were only average. There were moments when I felt disconnected from the others on screen, and it took away from the emotional scenarios which Bradbury and Henderson were able to create for their actors.
The titular rooftop scene is long, cohesive, well choreographed, and wonderfully acted. All that happens in this scene is well received and full of emotion. This was the moment that I was able to fully understand Rachel’s pain and all that she was experiencing. This scene is the culmination of everything that had occurred prior, and the reason that viewers are able to understand Rachel’s struggles. Rooftops concludes with true beauty and makes up for all of the film’s aforementioned issues. While it may struggle a bit in the early going, the denouement is something wonderful.
The story is perfect from the opening moments. Everything is relatable and viewers, regardless of the flaws that exist throughout Rooftops, are able to understand--at least to some degree--the scenario in which Rachel is a part. It takes some time to get itself moving, and the first eight minutes or so seem almost irrelevant when all is said and done, as the final moments are all anyone needs to feel for Rachel and her cohorts. I felt Rachel’s pain throughout the film, but, again, all I needed was that final, rooftop scene to be able to appreciate all that Bradbury and Henderson were able to do. Rooftops is far from perfect, but it’s relevance is beautiful.
Directed by Bruce C. Bradbury III.
Written by Bruce C. Bradbury III & Zavier Henderson.
Starring Tatiana Borie, Bruce C. Bradbury III, Alex Leombruno, Sloan Pirie, & Timothy J. Cox.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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