Angels Crest (2011)

The disappearance of a 3-year-old boy divides a tightly knit community and culls out its secrets.

Director:

Gaby Dellal

Writers:

Leslie Schwartz (novel), Catherine Trieschmann (screenplay)

Stars:

Thomas Dekker, Lynn Collins, Joseph Morgan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ameko Eks Mass Carroll	...	Nate
Thomas Dekker	...	Ethan
Mira Sorvino	...	Angie
Emma Macgillivray	...	Rosie
Dave Brown	...	Frank
Colin A. Campbell	...	Paul
Lynn Collins	...	Cindy
Joseph Morgan	...	Rusty
Greg Lawson	...	Bill
Marty Antonini	...	Charlie
Chris Ippolito	...	Will
Jonathan Lachlan Stewart	...	Kyle
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Jane
Kate Walsh	...	Roxanne
Mathieu Bourassa	...	Clerk

Storyline

During the first snow of the year 3 year-old Nate Denton wanders away from his father's truck and disappears. The fevered search for him ends with the devastating discover of his tiny, frozen body. Nate's death throws the small foothills community of Angel's Crest into disarray. The inhabitants confront what Nate's death means to them and in the face of that struggle they deal with their own concepts of right and wrong.

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Plot Keywords:

two word title | lesbian couple | parental neglect | alcoholism | location in title | 

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Taglines:

One town. One life. One wrong turn.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Canada UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 December 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abandoned

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$407 (USA) (30 December 2011)

Gross:

$498 (USA) (30 December 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Process Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"First Snow of Winter"
Written & Performed by David Ogilvy
Published by David Ogilvy
Licensed Courtesy of David Ogilvy/Thumbpick Records

User Reviews

Guilt, Responsibility, Forgiveness: One Town, One Life, One Wrong Turn

ANGELS CREST is not a perfect movie: there are so many undeveloped sidebars that keeping everyone in a place where they seem to fit into the tale is difficult. But there are some powerful performances here and some cause for reflection that makes the movie very worthwhile watching. Based on the novel by the same name written by Leslie Schwartz, adapted for the screen by Catherine Trieschmann, and directed by Gaby Dellal, the story deals with numerous interactions of a small town populated with alcoholics, drug abusers, adulterers, and other strange types and how they deal with a tragedy that makes no sense.

Nate Denton (Ameko Eks Mass Carroll) is a 3 year old son of Ethan Denton (Thomas Dekkar in a breakout performance that deserves attention) who awakens one morning in his pathetic home to tell his beloved single dad that it is snowing. The father/son bond is strong and Ethan dresses them both to go out to view the beauty of the snowy countryside in their old truck. When they arrive at a perfect spot, Ethan turns to the backseat to take Nate out to make snowmen, but Nate has fallen asleep in this safety car seat. Ethan makes the truck warm, locks the truck and walks out to view the spectacle of winter, the deer, and the eloquent mountains. In a few minutes he returns - and Nate is gone! Ethan is terrified, begins shouting his son's name as he searches for him. The town is alerted and a search party begins. Nate's mother alcoholic mother Cindy (Lynn Collins) is notified of Nate's missing and begins her tirade on every person she meets. After an overnight search for Nate, Ethan discovers Nate's frozen body and is devastated. Ethan is taken into custody for a death stemming from negligence and the townspeople form sides as to Ethan's guilt. Among them is a waitress Angie (Mira Sorvino) and her small daughter Rosie (Emma Macgillivray), Ethan's friend Rusty (Joseph Morgan), a lesbian couple (Elizabeth McGovern and Kate Walsh), Cindy's preachy mother (Barbara Williams). and the local police. The town brings in the District Attorney (Jeremy Piven) who obviously has secrets of his won that mirror Ethan's crisis. The story is resolved in a strange and tragic manner, leaving many crises unsolved.

Thomas Dekkar gives such a fine performance that we are able to see inside his heart and head and soul. The supporting cast conveys the small town response to a tragedy among their own - who is guilty of what and how could the incident have ever occurred. There are many ideas created by the writers and the characters that are never realized fully, but the sense of human response to an accident is staggeringly real. There is much more to this film in retrospect, after watching it, that haunts the viewer.

Grady Harp