April Showers (2009)

After a school shooting leaves 14 people dead, survivor Sean Ryan is forced to come to terms with loss.

Director:

Andrew Robinson

Writer:

Andrew Robinson

Stars:

Kelly Blatz, Daryl Sabara, Janel Parrish

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kelly Blatz	...	Sean
Daryl Sabara	...	Jason
Janel Parrish	...	Vicki
Ellen Woglom	...	April
Illeana Douglas	...	Sally
Tom Arnold	...	Mr. Blackwell
Sean Durrie	...	Nick
Rachel Lien	...	Jessica
Bryan McClure	...	Jonathan
Brenda O'Brien	...	Helen Mann
Nina Rausch	...	Samantha
Ben Chrystak	...	Ben
William Grennan	...	Mike
Jacob Highland	...	Chris
Mark Arnold	...	Sean's Father

Storyline

A look inside a tragedy through the eyes of a survivor. Based on actual events, April Showers is about picking up the pieces in the direct aftermath of school violence. Set in a middle class suburban neighborhood, April Showers focuses on the lives of a handful of teachers and students as they attempt to make sense of a world that has just been turned upside down by one of their own. With the community and an entire nation caught up in the 'story', the students of Jefferson High must turn to one another for answers. In the wake atrocity, the rifts caused by misinformation and a frenzied media prove difficult to overcome. Lost and lonely under the international spotlight, one young man navigates his way through his almost indiscernible home. From quaint suburban town to battlefield turned media circus, Jefferson High provides the backdrop for Sean's struggle to cope with the loss of his friend April.

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Plot Keywords:

school | based on true story | 

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Taglines:

In an instant, their world changed forever.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some disturbing violent content

Did You Know?

Trivia

The shooters last name, Harris, is an obvious reference to Columbine Massacre assailant Eric Harris. His first name, Ben, may possibly be a reference to the other Columbine shooter Dylan Klebold whose middle name was Bennet.

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Connections

Version of I'm Not Ashamed (2016)

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Soundtracks

I Won't Cry
Written by Dominik Rausch and Janel Parrish
Performed by Janel Parrish

User Reviews

Not a "Chick-Flick", but a very "Human-Flick" True Story

........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA...and ORLANDO, FL

Based on actual events, April Showers draws us into the center of a tornado funnel cloud of events, by offering us a rather unique perspective…that of one of the survivors of violence unhinged.

Mass shootings at U.S. schools, like it or not, form a malignant presence on our cultural landscape. This film, if nothing else, accentuates the following inescapable truth: A shared episode of on campus mindless violence will divide the lives of all those present into "Before and After".

April Showers, obviously, is a labor of love. It was produced, written and directed by survivors. This simple reality makes the film incomparably original in a number of ways, but is simultaneously the source of April's one big flaw.

Let's focus on the positive elements first. Unlike any other movie about school shootings, almost all of the violence is off-camera. No endless loop slow-mo's of exploding blood packets here! Also, never before have I seen a portrayal of those left behind in the wake of a tragedy like this, in such total shock as to be not only speechless, but practically paralyzed, days after the event. These excruciatingly awkward bouts of on-screen silence contribute to making April painful to watch at times. Sometimes very In-Your-Face aggressive about driving home a point, but just when you're ready to throw in the towel and say, "Enough already!" the Director manages to back off.

You must be patient with this movie. About halfway through, I was almost ready to give up on it. When all was said and done, it was an extremely satisfying experience. Two hours after viewing, I decided it was most definitely a good movie. It could have been a really great one! The big flaw I mentioned earlier: April needed more character development before pulling the proverbial rug out from under the viewer's feet. The film provided a lot more development later on, though. Perhaps the Director's intention was to add to our sense of bewilderment and confusion, but it was almost a deal-breaker for me. One other disappointment: Tom Arnold and Illeana Douglas had less than 10 minutes on-screen time between the 2 of them!

7.5*, rounded down to 7*.....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!..... [e-mail]

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amok - Columbine School Massacre

Filming Locations:

Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,040, 26 April 2009

Gross USA:

$16,880

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,880

Company Credits

Production Co:

April Showers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1