Baystate Blues
The mantra of writing programs all across the US academic landscape is “write what you know” and indie filmmakers have taken it to heart. True, the results are often mixed but it has to be kept in mind that many of these filmmakers are making their first films and are still finding their film language, their style, their footing. Such is the case with Writer/Director Mark Lewis’ feature dramedy Baystate Blues, a portrait of a young family coping with the problems and challenges of life in a rural part of upstate Mass.
Mark Lewis is Mike, a young working man married to Devon, played well by Allyson Sereboff. It seems Devon has had some accident that has not only crippled her physically but emotionally as well, and it is wreaking some havoc on their marriage and extended family relationships. Lewis performance works but some of the writing with its scatological exchanges often falls flat, especially when it involves Devon’s sister, Alex (Steffi Kammer) who is the liberal artist who copes by acting air-headed and non-committal. The same goes for his interaction with Virginia (Sharon Maguire), who seems your normal simple gal from a small town (sound familiar?) It should because, to mangle Leo Tolstoy’s famous quote, [“ all unhappy familes are unhappy in nearly the same ways.”] This robs the film of some it’s emotional impact, just as it does big-budgeted studio faire, but that is not to say it ruins the project. Lewis’ dialogue while he works with his fellow carpenters is quiet good (as well as the cinematography) and the viewer gets a real sense of folks interacting on the job.
There are other scenes that work, especially when the film gets out of the house and into the beautiful Mass countryside. Even if Lewis’ direction and pacing hits a few off notes, I believe he by-and-large accomplishes what he set out to do: Draw a simple picture of small town America through the eyes of one family going through some tough things and coming out better for it. The performers, who photograph well, are fairly good and I can see the young actors getting better and better the more roles and projects they take on.
All in all, a solid effort from Mike Lewis and his cast and I look forward to checking out their next project.
Rev. by Jerry Brewington for HIT.
(For more info on the film go to www.baystateblues.net )
