We all have someone special in our lives that we would do anything for. We would be willing to put our lives on the line in order to make this individual happy, and some of us have the opportunity to show this to the ones we love. Slow Pulse is a passionate telling of the lengths that a father, Bernard (Jimmie Fails), is willing to go to for his son, Jacob (Zion Rupert). As the reality of their difficult life comes to light, it becomes clear the sacrifices that Bernard is willing to make, and Jacob is sure to be grateful for the things that his father does for him–even if he doesn’t know it yet.
For all intents and purposes, Slow Pulse is a film about dance, and the ability that the artform has to affect people and everyone around them. There’s no doubt that there are people that struggle to see the merit present in dance–and I’ll be honest, I’m one of them. I don’t judge the people that participate in dance, but it’s not something that I enjoy watching. What’s worse, though, is that watching individuals dance in front of me can make me incredibly uncomfortable–so Slow Pulse, even though it wasn’t live in front of me, made me uncomfortable. It took some time to appreciate the things that were occurring on screen in front of me–but as the narrative develops, it becomes clear that this film is about far more than dance, it’s about love.
It’s important that the true purpose of Slow Pulse remains hidden throughout the first and second acts of the film, and Fails is tasked with keeping that reality alive. Things need to appear tense but silly, uncomfortable but meaningful–all in a way that keeps the truth alive in the background. Fails looks intense throughout the course of Slow Pulse, but through the delivery of his dance sequences, awkwardness prevails, and viewers are reeled into something so beautiful without even knowing it. He conveys innocence, but the world knows there is something deeper, far more important than the dance routines as a result of Fails' performance. It takes some time to develop, intentionally, and it works in favor of the film as a whole.
Much of how Slow Pulse is received comes from how the film is written–and it’s done in a fashion slightly atypical of the real world. Viewers are meant to view an immensely difficult situation as silly, and Writer-Director Marshall Tyler ensures that these things happen effectively. Without fail, Tyler appeals to his viewers in a unique way, opening their eyes to the hardships of this father, all while pulling them into a story that feels much simpler than it is. The ability of Tyler to be able to ease his viewers into this narrative is impeccable, and he does a wonderful job of doing this.
The choreography throughout Slow Pulse is impressive. Again, I struggle to understand the allure of watching dancing as entertainment, but the reality is that it is a difficult art to master. It’s even more difficult to present a misunderstanding of the art to the world. Young Rupert does a wonderful job of learning his steps, presenting them to audiences, and inviting them into a world of art and passion. He’s impeccably talented in this regard–and, without a doubt, he knows how to captivate an audience. Fail, however, must express to the world his uncomfortability of dance, showing viewers that while he’s willing to get up and dance in front of the world, he’s not as comfortable as the others in the film. Once again, he’s brilliant, and he does absolutely everything asked of him.
The entirety of Slow Pulse is full of passion, and the actors do a wonderful job of bringing the sentiments present in Tyler’s script to life. While Fail and Rupert rarely share screen time, they work together to create something interestingly glamorous, and it is sure to amaze audiences.
Written & Directed by Marshall Tyler.
Starring Jimmie Fails, Zion Rupert, Tamica Washington-Miller, Erwin Washington, Ellie Siler, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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