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Cast: Stephen Todt, Thomas Perry, Mary Ann Raemisch, Garrett Wareing, Tonya Kay
Jeremy is a young man who was born with a strange condition. He has the uncontrollable ability to transfer pain and injury he endures to the person his attacker loves the most. Jeremy has been sheltered from the outside world and his condition kept a secret by his overly protective mother. Upon her passing, he is forced to venture outside of his house to confront the realities of a harsh society and the cruelties of people.
"A Better Place" tells the story of Jeremy, a young man who has been sheltered by his mother his entire life. She has home schooled him and never let him go outside by himself at anytime. After the film's attention grabbing opening scene it quickly switches and we get to meet the shy Jeremy for the first time. Unfortunately for him he is at the wake for his mother who suddenly passed away from a heart attack a few days before. At the wake we get the feeling the town is full of some weirdos and con-men which are something Jeremy will learn himself very soon. He will also learn that the Sheriff's son is a local bully who happens to like the same girl Jeremy falls for at the local diner.
But Jeremy has a secret, it is a "condition" that transfers his pain and even injuries he might get from an attacker directly to the person closest to them. The problem is Jeremy has no control over it. Now Jeremy must navigate this whole new world and in the process he will find out how cruel it is.
"A Better Place" is a unique little drama/thriller that is engaging and even a bit quirky. The film's synopsis gives away the fact that Jeremy has this "condition" so that is no secret but the film also has a few others that it reveals as the story moves a long. I am not going to give those a way here because they are important plot twists and by doing so here I would only ruin the film for those waiting to see it.
One thing is for sure though, you will be rooting for Jeremy the entire time because he is a very likable character in a town that has a corrupt Sheriff, a con-man for a bank owner and a perverted priest to name a few. The only two likeable characters in the film are Jeremy and his love interest, Jess. This all sets the stage for confrontations and lots of drama and tension. The film also manages to toss in a little humor as well.
I really liked this film because it is just different from the normal fare we see nowadays. Director, Dennis Ho has taken the story of an outcast and given it a new and original twist which instantly grabs your attention and you can't look away because you do not want to miss a second of what is going to happen. Another reason the film is so good is the cast, Stephen Todt is amazing as Jeremy. He really plays the character perfectly as he expresses all the needed emotions. Another stand out performance came from Mary Ann Raemisch who plays Jess. She and Todt are terrific together and share a lot of chemistry.
"A Better Place" is another example of why Independent Cinema is so good. It provides interesting and well-developed characters inside a story that is both original and unique. And it also sheds some light on a problem we face today, bullying. Available on DVD October 25th, you can order it HERE. If you like a good drama or thriller that gets you thinking then I highly recommend checking this one out.
Released by Monarch Home Entertainment
**** Out Of *****