MOVIE REVIEW: The Distance Between the Apple and the Tree

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Distance Between the Apple and the Tree

POSTED: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7:32 PM

Filed Under: Movies | Movie Review trailer!

It's a rare and inspiring thing when an independent filmmaker achieves the type of cinematic maturity and beauty usually reserved for those with big bucks and big resources. But filmmaker Bajir Cannon, from Lower Merion, managed to do just that, with his feature length film, The Distance Between the Apple and the Tree.

Will Sr. (Michael H. Johnson) and Linda (Michelle Sims) are an upper-middle class couple whose only son flies off to Cambodia in search of the meaning of life. While neither parent copes well with the absence of their son (Chris Kamenstein), Will Sr. does not understand the path Will Jr. has chosen. His health suffers from the stress caused by the two's tumultuous relationship, which distance, in this case, only makes worse. Meanwhile, in Cambodia (effortlessly adding visual flavor, as the landscape is stunning), Will's belief in the wisdom of his relocation slowly crumbles when he discovers that the woman who convinced him to join a spiritual group is not quite who she claimed to be and an incident with a young native causes Will to further question his own truth-seeking motives.

The Distance takes bold narrative risks. The film isn't consistently linear, occasionally vacillating between reality and metaphor, like when an over-the-phone argument between father and son suddenly transports the two into an actual boxing ring. It also utilizes some odd editing choices, like split-screen close-ups of both characters during conversations. The choice of split-screen serves these moments well, as both actors are given equal screen time, highlighting the importance of the relationship between the two people instead of the people themselves.

While many independent filmmakers fall victim to the seriousness of their vision, Bajir helps himself with humor in The Distance. Sims was a great choice, as she has a subtle sense of comedy with a spot-on sense of timing. And the scattered gags throughout, such as an incident where a man's testicles hang out of his shorts, help bring levity to an otherwise sober 'What is the true meaning of life?' tale.

The Distance from the Apple to the Tree, Mon., June 29, 7 p.m., $10, Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., brynmawrfilm.org, distancemovie.com.

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