The Place For The Latest Movie Reviews
Cast: Michael Peake, Mindy Heithaus, Amanda Miller, Amber Potter, Keith Robart
In one tragic night, Quantum Physics Professor Jacob Matthews loses his wife...his everything. What he does to get her back will bring him to the edge of madness.
"Jacob's Paradox" tells the story of Jacob, a Quantum Physics Professor. Jacob had a good life, a job he enjoyed and a beautiful wife he loved deeply but when his wife is murdered he falls into a deep depression. He begins drinking heavily and hasn't been home since he found his wife dead. One day his boss calls him into his office to have a talk. He suggests to Jacob to take some time off and to finally stop living in a hotel and go back home. He hopes this will help Jacob to heal and move on with his life but instead it makes things worse.
Jacob blames himself for his wife's death and when he finds old sketches of a time machine he was working on laying around he decides to finish them and build the machine in order to go back and make things right. But his obsession with changing the past leads him to the edge of madness.
There has been plenty of films in the past that deal with time travel but "Jacob's Paradox" is one of the more mature, smart and captivating films I have seen in some time. Right from the start I was fully engaged in Jacob's life. You really feel for him and you want him to be happy and move on with his life. So do his co-workers and sister who pays him a visit after not being able to get a hold of him on his phone. He shuts himself off from the outside world and you can really see his steady descent.
"Jacob's Paradox" is a 36 Minute short film that plays out like a feature film, there is a solid and complex story going on and Jacob's character is very well developed. The rest of the characters are also very important to the story as well. The film looks fantastic, the cinematography is the first thing I noticed about the film, it really looks amazing. The film's soundtrack is also brilliant, it adds just the right amount of atmosphere to the film and it fits each and every scene perfectly.
And the cast, Michael Peake is amazing as Jacob. He really brings all the necessary emotions to the role. This is an excellent acting performance. The supporting cast were all terrific as well including, Amanda Miller who shows up in flashbacks as his wife. Mindy Heithaus is also very good as his concerned co-worker.
Michael Peake is not only the star of the film, he also co-directed the film with David James and he also wrote the script. This is a very talented film maker I hope to see more from in the near future. There's a lot to like about "Jacob's Paradox," this is a complex, intelligent and thought-provoking film that keeps you glued to the screen the entire time while you wait with bated breath to find out what happens. As the credits began to roll, I was left wanting more. I am not sure if Michael will revisit the story or not but a continuation would be something I would like to see.
"Jacob's Paradox" is in the early stages of its festival run but it has already enjoyed some well deserved attention at #TOFF - The Online Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice for Best Medium Length Film for July 2015. It is also an Official Selection to the 2015 Cincinnati Film Festival and an Official Selection to the 2015 Miami Independent Film Festival. You can keep up with the film's progress by visiting its Facebook page HERE.
I highly recommend checking out this amazing Sci-Fi Drama when you get the chance.
**** Out Of *****
Jacob's Paradox Teaser Trailer from Michael Peake on Vimeo.