Tommy (Michael LoSchiavo) and Katherine (Kristen Tomanocy) are engaged and ready to be married, but Tommy has lately been struggling with his mental health. The couple travels to a retreat where Tommy is promised positive results–but when they arrive, the head of this program, Dr. David Tilquin (James Sharpe) appears more odd than expected. As Tommy is pulled further and further into this program, he finds himself getting closer and closer to The Girl in the Straw Hat, but he can’t quite understand why. Things begin to unravel, and Tommy and Katherine are left questioning all that they know.
The transitions from scene to scene are odd–almost cheap. The rest of the film has such wonderful production value, that it seems counterproductive to have transitions that a highschooler could have created using PowerPoint. As a whole, the transitions cheapen The Girl in the Straw Hat, and it left me wondering why Writer-Director David J. Schultz would allow something like this to remain in the film. I’m not sure if it was time, inability, or something else entirely; but the reality is that it doesn’t work, and I found it to be frustrating.
Again, the production value of The Girl in the Straw Hat as a whole is high–it looks like a big-budget Hollywood film for the most part. The use of effects, the clarity of everything on screen, and the sound are of high quality. This is the most appealing part of the entire film. Seeing how much time and effort went into the production of The Girl in the Straw Hat makes the film better, and it allows viewers to better appreciate the film as a whole. Simply put, it adds value to the film knowing that this isn’t a money grab, but rather a project of passion.
From the instant the film began, it seemed pretty clear the trajectory that it was headed. It seemed obvious where Tommy was going and how he was going to get there. There are some unique twists and turns along the way, but for the most part The Girl in the Straw Hat plays out exactly as expected. I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, however–because it sort of works in both ways. On one hand viewers aren’t taken on some wild journey that they could have never expected, and viewers simply follow along, anticipating the next step (usually knowing what’s coming next). On the other hand viewers are able to follow a very linear story, never getting lost along the way. The Girl in the Straw Hat is quite easy to follow, even considering its strange story. It leaves everything right out in the open for all to see, and understanding what is coming next isn’t a challenge, but rather a guarantee.
The Girl in the Straw Hat is an easy-to-follow thriller with some twists and turns thrown in. It plays with the human psyche, and it dives deep into human emotion. It poses questions like “why” and “how,” and it ultimately draws viewers in by way of the brilliant production. The Girl in the Straw Hat keeps things simple, and it manages to reach viewers in straightforward and effective ways.
Written & Directed by David J. Schultz.
Starring Michael LoSchiavo, Kristen Tomanocy, James Sharpe, Evangeline Young, Tamra Paselk, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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