By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Nicole Riegel
Starring: Austin Amelio | Becky Ann Baker | Gus Halper | Jessica Barden | Pamela Adlon
Country: united_states
Year: 2021
Running time: 90
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6763778/reference
Chris says: “In her promising debut feature, writer/director Nicole Reigel depicts life in a small industrial Ohio town in a way that isn’t quite documentary-like, but with enough attention-to-detail to feel pretty authentic. As Ruth, a teen from a broken home trying to reconcile her desire to go to college with the thrill of making quick (and not entirely) illegal money working on a scrap crew, Jessica Barden gives a suitably natural performance. The real standout, however, is veteran character actress Becky Ann Baker as Linda, a surrogate parent of sorts to Ruth: at times, she displays a fierceness one would rarely guess her capable of from her best known TV work (GIRLS, FREAKS AND GEEKS). As a chronicler of the American working class, Reigel is not yet on the same level as, say, Debra Granik, but she’s not far off. 4 cats
“(Screened at IFFBoston 2021.)”
Michael says: “Poverty is a major problem in the United States, and recent films exploring people struggling without means to live a fulfilling life have shown how little hope exists in these cases. HOLLER follows the difficult path of a high school girl, her older brother, and their mother who is incarcerated after becoming addicted to pain-killing medication. Ruth has promise. Gifted with a natural intelligence that sees her excelling in school, Ruth could use the stability that seems like a minimal need in growing up successfully. Her brother, Blaze, watches out for her, and also tries desperately to keep up with the bills as mortgage foreclosures mount threatening to take their home. What little care and attention they get comes from Linda, their mom’s best friend and their boss at the scrap metal factory at which they both work. When Ruth finds out that Blaze had secretly submitted a college application on her behalf, and she has been accepted, she is initially upset and unwilling to leave. They don’t have the money, and despite the harsh living conditions, this film ably shows how ties of family and familiarity create an environment where leaving a bad situation seems more difficult that staying.
“Some critics have mentioned Debra Granik’s WINTER’S BONE as a touchstone for this film, which I definitely understand, but I see more recent films such as Nia DaCosta’s LITTLE WOODS or even last year’s BULL by Annie Silverstein. It’s interesting that all of these films are helmed by women, and perhaps that’s why family is such a strong component in the telling of these stories. Ruth and Blaze have a typical brother sister relationship, often superficially at odds with one another, but the love and care these two display by their actions is powerful and drive this movie forward. Riegel does a great job in spinning out a bleak tale, with the threat of violence all around, and little chance of a positive outcome, and leaving a glimmer of hope that is small, but surely not far from the dim reality faced by families such as this. Young actress Jessica Braden has already had a lengthy career in television and film, (including playing the Nosebleed Woman in THE LOBSTER), and handles the complex situation face by Ruth beautifully, with the just right amount of intelligence, resentment, and youthful bravado. Kudos too to Gus Halper as brother Blaze, and TV veteran Pamela Adlon as their imprisoned mother. And like Chris, I will call out well-known character actor Becky Ann Baker for bringing fire and experience as Linda. Her scenes are all strong. HOLLER is a strong film, and it will hopefully get a release this year. 4 cats
“Seen as part of IFFBoston 2021”