Ballast (2008)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Lance Hammer

Writer:

Lance Hammer (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A drama set in the Mississippi delta, where one man's suicide affects three people's lives.

Plot Keywords:

Suicide | Single Mother | Gun | Loss Of Brother | Home Schooling

Awards:

10 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Micheal J. Smith Sr.	...	Lawrence
JimMyron Ross	...	James
Tarra Riggs	...	Marlee
Johnny McPhail	...	John
Ventress Bonner	...	Teen
Jimez Alexander	...	Teen
Jean Paul Guillory	...	Teen
Marcus Alexander	...	Teen
Marquice Alexander	...	Teen
Lawrence Jackson	...	Teen
Jeremy Jordan	...	Paramedic
Steve Cabell	...	Paramedic
Samuel Dobbins	...	Ambulance Driver
Neil Pettigrew	...	Dispatcher (voice)
Sanjib Shrestha	...	Dr. Shrestha

Runtime:

USA:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Camden, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Alluvial Film Company

Impressive quiet drama

We saw this at Sundance 2008, and found it to be deliberately slow, but also quite thoughtful as it told the story of a man whose twin brother's suicide devastates him. The story extends to the dead man's ex wife and son and explores the aftermath of the suicide and its effects on these three characters. What makes this film impressive is that the actors involved in almost every role had never acted before. The director revealed to us at the Q&A session that he had gone to churches in the Mississippi Delta and recruited people to be in his film. Also notable is the sound, or lack thereof. Instead of a busy, noisy soundtrack, this was a quiet film with very little music, relying instead on the ambient noise of the area in which it was filmed. We enjoyed the film and wish the director and the actors much success.