Booster

Narrative Feature Competition
D: Matt Ruskin; with Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail, Megan Hart

In custody and charged with armed robbery, Sean (McGrail) asks his little brother, Simon (Stone), to commit a few similar crimes to raise doubt about Sean’s guilt. Simon’s no saint, but violent crime lies outside his repertoire. Torn between helping his brother and the reality of the crimes he may commit, he turns to his friends Harold (Cassel), an aged criminal in his twilight years, and Paul (DuPaul), a longtime family friend familiar with the scene. Both Harold and Paul express what the audience knows as well: Simon is a good kid with no business in jail. Booster builds momentum, but it lacks concrete resolution. Still, it offers an honest glimpse into the lives of good people navigating bad situations. Well-placed banter between the male characters and quiet familial moments nicely temper the film’s overall serious tone.

Thursday, March 15, 9:45pm, Stateside

This article appears in March 16 • 2012.

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