An indie film by writer director Kevin Shah come White Knuckles. As the title suggests the film is about a person who is obsessed with some object or activity to the point of being unable to stop doing it. A white knuckle experience is an experience that, when you think about it, should be impossible. Read on to see our full review of the film including details on the story line, cast and crew and video trailer.
Storyline
A sweet career housewife has been married to the same crotchety man for 40 years and she just can’t take another day of it. She starts to poison his food – just to see if he might change. When he falls gravely ill, both are awakened to the raw reality of a life or death choice.
The movie is carried by Martie Ashworth in the role of the wife Julie. She does an amazing job throughout the film taking the watcher into her character’s head and showing us the emotional and mental turmoil she goes through. It’s a very well written script that doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is. The story works on a number of levels as well as showing the struggle of a marriage and the realization of choices one makes. There are some great scenes in this film but it’s best when Julie is alone with her thoughts and she goes through each moment of her life. There are some great moments of character building in this movie that really add to the storyline.
Film Cast
The film stars the aforementioned Martie Ashworth as the lead character Julie. In addition it has Marion Kerr as Amber and Kelly McCraken as Gabe. More on both of them as the characters were conceived and appear in a separate movie, Heart of Now.
Other notable castmembers include Larry Strauss as William, Sue Rihr as Dora and Don Yanan as Ken.
Production and Release
The film was screenplay was written and the film directed by Kevin Shah. You may be familiar with Shah from his work as a producer in the 2013 movie Down and Dangerous. The production of this film was excellent, especially the minimalist design and the nature shots.
The original release in the United States in 2011 with a runtime of 1 hour 28 minutes.
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White Knuckles Trailer
Below is the full HD trailer for the White Knuckles film.
Verdict
A “White-Knuckle” film about forgiveness, disguised as a revenge story. It’s subtleties are shocking and painfully real. Plus, it’s jam-packed with rich, complex subtexts about morality, spirituality, and transcendence. These are themes that have been sadly overlooked in today’s films.
The performances are also very raw and human. The plot unfolds deadly motives in a minimalist fashion. The music compliments the imagery wonderfully.
Overall 4.5 / 5
Conclusion
There is so much to like about White Knuckles, from the acting to the directing but the story line of a film about forgiveness, disguised as a revenge story is truly intriguing. If you have not seen the film, it is a great watch that you should thoroughly enjoy if you are interested in the least bit in films that deal with complex subtexts about morality, spirituality, and transcendence. Let us know your thoughts on the film in the comments below.