AXS ENTERTAINMENT / ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / MOVIES
New Indie Movie, alcoholism, redemption, Beautiful Dramedy
July 2, 2015
Rating:
‘Echo Lake’ may just sum up the “Yuccies”, a new term for “Hipsters”, which still stands for the young maturing and privileged. Along with the sense of entitlement often comes the glib “stepping over” of a fuller understanding. In “Echo Lake” whatever the name the issues of coming to terms with life’s personal challenges remain the same. Youth filled with confusion, blame, disappointment, anger, apathy, addiction, and, one hopes, with luck some sort of redemption . “Echo Lake” is that story in the form of young Will Baxter, ( played with perfect empathy by first time actor, Sam Zvibleman). In the beginning of “Echo Lake”, we see a defeated 20 something year old Baxter who’s life has become a metaphoric quick-sand. As his world spins out of control, Baxter finds some solace in several life-lines; his girlfriend, his buds, and booze. With them he is fairly functioning in life while drowning his sadness from a dysfunctional past, in alcohol.
“Echo Lake”, Writer/ Director/ Producer, Jody McVeigh-Schultz’s first feature film, making it’s world premiere at the 2015, “Dances With Film 18” festival, is a poetic love song to the experience many of us face when in this crisis of loss and grief. Shot partly in the picturesque backdrop of Lassen National Forrest, the character of Will Baxter finds itself faced with a troubled childhood and it’s effects after learning of his fathers passing. He is forced to reexamine his relationship with his father, brother, and the girlfriend he loves during his reclusive visit to Echo Lake. Jody McVeigh-Schultz leaves contemplative room within his editing to celebrate the wonder, stillness and beauty of nature. We watch how nature cradles us, often without our awareness: being so engulfed in what could be considered life’s “seasonal” concerns. Even the lake itself seems to invite rectitude and meditative reflection for ones possible healing.
In an interview with Jody we find that “Echo Lake” is not based on his personal experiences, well not entirely. In fact Jody had and has a wonderful relationship with his parents and a normal, happy upbringing. He does however confess to dabbling with alcohol in early adulthood, “as most of us did”. Jody attended USC Film School after which he worked in reality television for 5 or 6 years. In 2012 he grew tired of reality TV. He wanted to create something with more depth and meaning. The idea of “Echo Lake” was inspired by his memories and experience at his family’s cabin in Lassen National Park, where the lake and big cone shaped volcanic hole, used in the film, are still located today. The connection to the richness of Jody’s film and the effects the wilderness had on his artistry are palpable. He says, ” ….it’s a very spiritual place”.
Although not based on Jody’s life there are some other minor parallels. One that most young men can relate to, is the eventual and hopeful transition from a young adult male’s escapist behavior, to the understanding of what may lay on the other side in positive behavior. Even though,
unlike Will, Jody had a great relationship with his still living father, he wanted to take these personal minor characteristics of male youth and explore them to extreme levels that might frighten you. In “Echo lake” Jody has done just that. He also says the story came out of conversations
and observations of parent-child relationships and the eventual facing of adulthood responsibilities. Not only being lucky enough to reach the age of adulthood, but also to have the redemptive cognitions that lead to a productive life.
When asked what he wants viewers to come away with, Jody responds, “That’s a good question. I want people to get that there are many ways to deal with problems, to realize that no one really is born knowing how. Just because you don’t express outward grief doesn’t mean your not trying to work stuff out and that there are a lot of ways to grow. I mean I was really specific on how I wanted it ( the film) to end so that in the end, one might just see their life’s echo.”
The beauty of independent films is that writer/directors/producers like Jody McVeigh-Schultz are able to not follow the typical plot line developments or the typical ending. Case in point, two of Jody’s favorite films are, ” Lost In Translation”, and “Chashe”.
Is “Echo Lake” a story about grief, about living a life that keeps hitting you back or is it about how you treat the world and how the world responds in turn. Who can one open up to that will understand and share the journey? “Echo Lake” has many gifts within it to warm and enlighten the psyche. Jody ask subtle questions that make “Echo lake” ripple responses of unexpected treasures which reach deep within. Making you ponder your own life’s reflection far beyond it’s shimmering smooth surface. Fresh, extraordinary and beautifully executed.
Rated PG-R for language, sexual situation, and drugs Director: Jody McVeigh-Schultz
Writers: Jody McVeigh-Schultz,
Producer Jody McVeigh-Schultz
Stars: Sam Zvibleman, Andy Cohen, Jillian Leigh, Chris Mollica, Dan Yanan, Christine Weatherup
