A teenage girl, known only as Outsider (Corrie Legge), has an unhealthy obsession with her boyfriend’s (Sean Pohle) father (Dan Berkey). As she navigates the tumultuous household of her significant other and the love of her life, she finds that the love she has for the father is anything but reciprocated. She must find a way to deal with her emotions, and she must come to terms with who and what she is to this family–a Shadow.
A darkness creeps through Shadow, and it’s clear throughout the film that something horrific has recently occurred. The family’s matriarch is gone, and the struggles that this family has faced since are astronomical–and that darkness and pain that exists within each character transcends the set as well. The darkness is inviting because it allows viewers to see the true nature of each of the characters, understand the situation in which they are all involved, and it’s reflective of the darkness that often exists in the real world. It’s a simple choice made by director Benjamin M. Algar, but it’s one that speaks volumes throughout the course of Shadow.
There’s no doubt that the content of Shadow will be uncomfortable for some (maybe even for most)–and there’s no doubt in my mind that this was Writers Ryan Hess and Algar’s intentions. The things that people do in the real world can sometimes make us uncomfortable–but they happen anyway. Shadow expresses these realities to viewers and invites them into a world that is strange, not unrealistic, and powerfully uncomfortable.
Much of the success of Shadow comes as a result of the cinematography and the behind-the-scenes work. I don’t love the acting; it’s adequate, but it’s not the reason that Shadow is enjoyable. The overarching darkness, the relationship to the real world, and just the beautiful and effective way in which Cinematographer Michael LaVoie captures the narrative come together to create something truly entertaining. Shadow is very intimate–you sort of feel like you are following these characters around from an uncomfortable distance, and LaVoie (obviously with the help of Algar) is able to develop that sentiment through the constant close-up shots and the angles in which Shadow is filmed. This intimacy allows each of the aforementioned aspects to come to life in a big way–and viewers, again, are pulled further into the narrative and the film as a whole.
The most interesting aspect of the entire film is the name given to the protagonist. The main character has no name, she’s only credited, as previously mentioned, as “Outsider.” While she is very literally the outsider in her boyfriend’s family, I believe this speaks more to the way in which she feels about herself. She is struggling to find her place in this world, and no matter where she goes, she finds that she doesn’t quite fit there either. The Outsider is a reflection of how each and every one of us feels at some point in our lives–and this aspect of Shadow is perfect.
Shadow is a slow-moving journey through the human mind, and it explores realities that we all face at some point in our lives. These things are depicted so well, and the way in which Algar develops the film is sure to resonate with viewers. Shadow is uncomfortable, invasive, and completely honest. It’s everything we need and everything we struggle to face on our own; Shadow is beautiful.
Directed by Benjamin M. Algar.
Written by Benjamin M. Algar & Ryan Hess.
Starring Corrie Legge, Dan Berkey, Austin Levine, & Sean Pohle.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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