I enjoy indie films and I tend to watch a lot of them. I enjoy them because every once in a while you come upon a little gem. Well for me, that's how I feel about this wonderful indie film. I loved the story and the acting. The acting was spot on and the story very relatable. Great job all. You get a thumb's up from me on this one.
51 Reviews
Strong Performance
roblivings8 May 2022
Interesting spin on a side of the story you don't often see
RBIves-202-7253529 November 2022
In any other movie, our main character Ava might be the villain. She's the other woman. She needy, shallow, and lacking in any kind of work skills. But the situation she has been thrust into forces her into thinking about what she really wants out of the last chapters of her life.
Writer/director/lead actress is unwavering in her intentions. You can tell she knows exactly how she wants to tell this story and is more than welcome to have you along for the ride.
The themes are universal enough to reach all ages, but the character and setting refuses to be anything you've seen before. Well done!
Writer/director/lead actress is unwavering in her intentions. You can tell she knows exactly how she wants to tell this story and is more than welcome to have you along for the ride.
The themes are universal enough to reach all ages, but the character and setting refuses to be anything you've seen before. Well done!
Heartfelt and moving drama
indysaini20 February 2023
This is a beauty of the indie film world, telling the story of an unlikely lead character who finds herself stuck in a bad situation after a tragedy. Grief is becoming a more talked about topic these days, and this film dives powerfully into that realm, with an effective nonlinear flow of the grief experience, and illustrating the importance of good friends. It offers both a cautionary tale of planning for your future, and an inspiring glimpse of meeting head on what life throws at you. With a dreamy interesting visual style and truthful acting, especially by the films' lead who is also the filmmaker, I enjoyed this unexpected indie gem.
Solid, independent storytelling on all levels
BMovieCommander14 February 2022
This is a movie that deals in the realm of the real. It's kind of a coming of age story for someone who's already lived a full life. It deals with love, loss and re-discovery of one's self as Ava has to traverse the trials and tribulations of overcoming loss. Yes, this is an independent movie, but achieves on high levels. It is well-acted, wonderfully shot, and delivers an impactful and meaningful story.
Compelling film about starting over
thesnarkascending12 August 2022
Ava is a sensitively made film anchored by compelling lead performances. The film and its lead, Catherane Skillen, draw you in quickly. It moves along at a good pace and you care about the characters; it's refreshing to see a film about a character like Skillen's. It's enjoyable and well-done. Kudos to Skillen and her team for their work.
Sensitively made realistic story which will pull at your heartstrings
olacik3 September 2022
It's a realistic story which many will be able to relate to. It has a good mix of sad and charming. I really enjoyed Catherane Skillen's performance and see in the credits that she also wrote, directed and executive produced the film, which is not an easy task. Kudos to her for this accomplishment! One of the reasons I watch indie films is because a lot of them are based on realistic and relatable stories, unlike many mainstream films today. There are many touching, heartfelt and also awkward moments which will leave you caring for the lead, the supporting characters, and the situations they find themselves in. I cared because I actually know people like Ava, and could emphasize with her heartbreak, loss, sadness and desire to find strength to move on. I feel like one of the takeaways of this film is, "It's never too late"... Never too late to start all over again, never too late to gain your independence and confidence, never too late to let go, reinvent yourself, or start a new life. Another very important takeaway for me was the need to change when your circumstances change; importance of finding strength to overcome grief. The film felt personal in a way because I have a very close relative who was unable to recover and regain himself after loss. Seeing him wither away was a big tragedy. Glad that Skillen's character was able to let go and find inner strength to change along with her destiny.
Finding strength you didn't know you had.
rios_silvia_s14 May 2022
A wonderfully crafted short film about a woman coming to terms with the fact that her life has irrevocably changed in a moment and she has to summon the courage & strength to change along with her new circumstances. As she faces setbacks, we find ourselves rooting for her as she finds encouragement, solace, & support from a great circle of friends. Great performances throughout!
Solid film with a strong female lead!
lbarker089 June 2022
I really appreciate that this film has a strong female lead, who is also older, which we don't see in many movies. The story had good conflicts that escalated in an interesting way. There were parts that were a little slow, but ultimately it is a good watch!
What's with the high ratings?!!
taylorfrost-080371 June 2022
I can not believe prime video actual aired this, Poor Poor acting and painfully slow and the main charactor didn't feel sorry for her at all. Watched the whole movie haha the whole time asking myself why, why are you watching this my 2 bits.
A unique look at complicated life-choices and consequences
julianvhampton23 February 2023
AVA: A Twist In The Road captures the life of a woman after losing her partner. Showing the perspective of "the other woman" who goes through stages of grief, depression, isolation, support and later independence and moving on. This movie would be great for anyone going through these challenges and the tone offers some laughs to balance out the character's pain allowing you to root for the main character to find her way. I would've enjoyed seeing the male lead a bit more. Their relationship was intriguing and there was some chemistry with the two, but then it would be a different story. An enjoyable watch!
Well done!
BandSAboutMovies10 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I love when filmmakers send me their movies and ask me to watch them. It's always a daunting proposition -- all I do is throw a few hundred words at something that may have been their life's work, you know? That said, when Catherane Skillen sent me a copy of her film AVA: A Twist In the Road, it didn't seem like the kind of movie that I usually have on the site.
But then I watched it and I'm honestly fascinated by it.
Ava (Skillen) and Bobby (Bill Lewis) are an older couple who, if you met them, you may think that they've been married forever. But Ava came along as the second wife, taking care of Bobby while his first wife had mental issues and was hospitalized for years. Now, they travel the world, he keeps her in a gorgeous condo and she wants for nothing other than to have more of his time, because all Bobby does is work.
It's not a bad life. It isn't perfect. But again, it's not a bad life.
But then Bobby dies. And that's when everything changes.
Everything Ava owned belonged to his company. And his son Bob Jr. (Steve Dellatori) has been waiting to get Ava out of his life forever.
The reason why I'm fascinated with AVA is that it has such an intriguing narrative because it drops us into her life and by the end, we're unsure if she'll be able to succeed. All of her monetary possessions no longer seem important to her, she's found an actual job that before would be beneath her and she's trying to connect with others. And then...that's the end.
The camera in this has a strange focus, darting all over, cutting to images in the middle of conversations and at times feeling hallucinatory yet that adds to the overall experience for me. Because unlike so much of what we consume for entertainment, AVA is incredibly real and honest. It feels lived in. It feels authentic.
There are moments when the tone wildly shifts -- I saw one review that took the movie to task for this -- and I think that makes it feel true to life. And while not all of the acting is perfect, Skillen is really great at the role. You can't help but be on her side.
I'd really be interested to know how she was inspired to make this. It seems like she acted in the 70s -- an episode of Columbo in 1976, the TV movie Dog and Cat in 1977 with Richard Lynch and an appearance in 1978's Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold and the TV series Jessie in 1984 are all that are on her IMDB before she started creating AVA as a web series in 2017.
So yeah. If you have a movie, send it my way. I do so love seeing original visions. This is definitely one of those. And it's cool to see an older woman in the spotlight (and heading up the creative end, too).
But then I watched it and I'm honestly fascinated by it.
Ava (Skillen) and Bobby (Bill Lewis) are an older couple who, if you met them, you may think that they've been married forever. But Ava came along as the second wife, taking care of Bobby while his first wife had mental issues and was hospitalized for years. Now, they travel the world, he keeps her in a gorgeous condo and she wants for nothing other than to have more of his time, because all Bobby does is work.
It's not a bad life. It isn't perfect. But again, it's not a bad life.
But then Bobby dies. And that's when everything changes.
Everything Ava owned belonged to his company. And his son Bob Jr. (Steve Dellatori) has been waiting to get Ava out of his life forever.
The reason why I'm fascinated with AVA is that it has such an intriguing narrative because it drops us into her life and by the end, we're unsure if she'll be able to succeed. All of her monetary possessions no longer seem important to her, she's found an actual job that before would be beneath her and she's trying to connect with others. And then...that's the end.
The camera in this has a strange focus, darting all over, cutting to images in the middle of conversations and at times feeling hallucinatory yet that adds to the overall experience for me. Because unlike so much of what we consume for entertainment, AVA is incredibly real and honest. It feels lived in. It feels authentic.
There are moments when the tone wildly shifts -- I saw one review that took the movie to task for this -- and I think that makes it feel true to life. And while not all of the acting is perfect, Skillen is really great at the role. You can't help but be on her side.
I'd really be interested to know how she was inspired to make this. It seems like she acted in the 70s -- an episode of Columbo in 1976, the TV movie Dog and Cat in 1977 with Richard Lynch and an appearance in 1978's Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold and the TV series Jessie in 1984 are all that are on her IMDB before she started creating AVA as a web series in 2017.
So yeah. If you have a movie, send it my way. I do so love seeing original visions. This is definitely one of those. And it's cool to see an older woman in the spotlight (and heading up the creative end, too).
Painfully slow
filmcriticandreview17 February 2022
The lead grandfatherly actor is strong and solid. The lead grandmotherly actress struggled throughout. Some shaky camera movements didn't fit in or were done by mistake and without use of a tripod. The "f" word was used at least twice unnecessarily. Some of the other actors seemed new to acting. I guess the biggest drawback was how slow the movie was it just seemed like it dragged on and on.
A movie of HOPE.
sp154724 April 2023
I love that the writer/director/producers or whoever decided to tell the story with mature actors, using issues people must face as we age. Too often movies overlook these issues and struggles. I really appreciate that this film has a strong female lead, who is also older, which we don't see in many movies. One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. AVA: A Twist In The Road is a great indie gem that the big studios could learn from. Thanks to the filmmakers for making this movie and for showing the world we can still find hope at any age.
Beautiful storytelling
jannycwriter2 June 2022
I didn't want to admit adored this movie. While I am not much for drama films,I was gripped with the elegant storytelling. Watching was easy, and I soon became invested in Ava and her journey. Performances-wise, the cast did a great job distracting from the minor in-synchronicities of the film's shaky camera work in spots. Skillen is a triple threat, though, as she also plays Ava (Skillen directed and wrote). Skillen gives Ava a sweet naivety and likeability that is solid and believable. A lovely sweet, touching film.
Made me care
directortim20127 February 2022
That's always the first rule for me. Make me care about the lead and the story, and this film did just that. Her struggles were relatable and the story held me throughout. As someone in the middle of life, it's always nice to see a story with more mature characters. And the acting and storytelling was excellent!
A brave, touching film.
omarproductions-1027517 April 2023
"Ava- A Twist In The Road" is a brave, touching indie film about loss, survival, and rebirth that explores issues that big budget, mainstream films are reluctant to explore. It tells the story of a mature, late middle aged woman named Ava who has it all - an affluent lifestyle,a beautiful home, and a devoted lover soulmate named Ben who provides all the aforementioned luxuries. But then Bob dies, and Ava loses not only her soulmate but his income. When Bob's hateful son contests his will, Ava is left penniless has no choice but to look for work. Writer, director, editor, and star does an excellent job of telling Ava's story. I say her film is brave because not many filmmakers, even indie ones, are willing to make a film about an older protagonist. A memorable film.
Dealing with tragedy and moving forward
georgj-4805118 June 2022
Ava-A Twist in the Road is a film that details the aftermath of a late in life tragedy that undoes all the plans made. Facing loss, the main character works through a maze of situations, people, emotions, and grief, and shows how she navigates the competing agendas and needs of those she comes in contact with. It also deals with her own issues that need resolution to move forward. Ultimately, this is a wonderful film that makes one think what choices would I make if faced with the same situation. Nice acting and a well produced movie for those in a contemplative mood.
Relatable, universal story.
lee_yang_18 July 2022
An interesting film with relatable themes
aleptos5 August 2022
'AVA: A Twist in the Road' by Catherane Skillen tells the story of the titular character as she navigates well, a twist in the road. That road being figurative of course in this bumpy thing we call life. Ava (Skillen) and her long-time partner Bobby (Bill Lewis) have a loving and healthy relationship. Just like all long-term relationships however, it isn't perfect. Bobby is away a lot for work and Ava wishes that they spent more quality time together. Suddenly, Bobby passes away and leaves Ava all alone. Having relied on Bobby for literally everything through their life together, this proves very difficult.
Firstly, having an older woman as the focal point of the story is certainly refreshing, as is the portrayal of she and Bobby's relationship as loving, playful and sexually active just as that of a younger couple, which is something that is often forgotten and not played up as much on the screen.
The narrative is clear and focused with a very straightforward A-B structure but just as the title alludes to, there are twists in the road and the loss of Bobby is not the only one. In addition to all the stress that Ava is facing trying to navigate life without the one person she counted on, Bobby's son Bob Jr. Ahem, I mean "Robert", bitter about the fact that his father left his mother for Ava, is trying to make sure that she gets nothing from his father's estate. At first, this sub-plot was interesting and even felt like the film could take on a thriller quality but it was dismissed rather quickly and ultimately the foundation laid and the characterisation of Robert ended up being unnecessary.
There are certainly some filmmaking wins in 'AVA' and a stand-out scene comes during her attendance at a party that she doesn't really want to be at. The scene takes on a dream-like quality as Ava is approached by a variety of people all sharing their personal opinions and stories with her, whilst the sounds of conversations and laughter close in creating a claustrophobic feeling which is reflective of what somebody in her situation might feel in a social situation, and will certainly be relatable to anybody who has experienced social anxiety.
There are some good performances here, mainly from Skillen and she manages to elevate those around her who give weaker, but not bad performances. Paired with some questionable editing choices and dated transitions, 'AVA' at times sort of resembles a Sunday afternoon soap opera. Bill Lewis as Bobby is also a standout,
The film isn't really sure what it wants to be with a shifting tone from light-hearted to depressing with the colour pallet and soundtrack to match. Of course, grief is a big part of the affair and that grief is less suggestive and more in an on the nose "I'm holding this knife and you know what that means!" kind of way. It's not an issue per se, but it wasn't totally necessary and seems to really want to make sure that you understand how depressed Ava is, assuming we aren't already aware of the impact that an event like this can have on a person.
The end comes rather quickly with the runtime clocking in at just 1 hour and 14 minutes. The film fails to deliver a big payoff as one might expect however there is a very nice moment of clarity to close.
Overall, 'AVA: A Twist in the Road' is an interesting but flawed picture with some relatable themes of love, loss but also serves as an important cautionary tale of making sure to take charge of your own life and not rely entirely on somebody else.
Firstly, having an older woman as the focal point of the story is certainly refreshing, as is the portrayal of she and Bobby's relationship as loving, playful and sexually active just as that of a younger couple, which is something that is often forgotten and not played up as much on the screen.
The narrative is clear and focused with a very straightforward A-B structure but just as the title alludes to, there are twists in the road and the loss of Bobby is not the only one. In addition to all the stress that Ava is facing trying to navigate life without the one person she counted on, Bobby's son Bob Jr. Ahem, I mean "Robert", bitter about the fact that his father left his mother for Ava, is trying to make sure that she gets nothing from his father's estate. At first, this sub-plot was interesting and even felt like the film could take on a thriller quality but it was dismissed rather quickly and ultimately the foundation laid and the characterisation of Robert ended up being unnecessary.
There are certainly some filmmaking wins in 'AVA' and a stand-out scene comes during her attendance at a party that she doesn't really want to be at. The scene takes on a dream-like quality as Ava is approached by a variety of people all sharing their personal opinions and stories with her, whilst the sounds of conversations and laughter close in creating a claustrophobic feeling which is reflective of what somebody in her situation might feel in a social situation, and will certainly be relatable to anybody who has experienced social anxiety.
There are some good performances here, mainly from Skillen and she manages to elevate those around her who give weaker, but not bad performances. Paired with some questionable editing choices and dated transitions, 'AVA' at times sort of resembles a Sunday afternoon soap opera. Bill Lewis as Bobby is also a standout,
The film isn't really sure what it wants to be with a shifting tone from light-hearted to depressing with the colour pallet and soundtrack to match. Of course, grief is a big part of the affair and that grief is less suggestive and more in an on the nose "I'm holding this knife and you know what that means!" kind of way. It's not an issue per se, but it wasn't totally necessary and seems to really want to make sure that you understand how depressed Ava is, assuming we aren't already aware of the impact that an event like this can have on a person.
The end comes rather quickly with the runtime clocking in at just 1 hour and 14 minutes. The film fails to deliver a big payoff as one might expect however there is a very nice moment of clarity to close.
Overall, 'AVA: A Twist in the Road' is an interesting but flawed picture with some relatable themes of love, loss but also serves as an important cautionary tale of making sure to take charge of your own life and not rely entirely on somebody else.
Glad someone is not afraid to tell stories about us older folks!
roblesharhold15 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I can't tell you how excited I am to see someone out there willing to write and direct a story about us older folks! Although it's a sad story, it is one that needs to be told. Too many times we find ourselves later in life unprepared for life's twists. Ava found herself, and she picked herself up by her bootstraps and proved to herself she could do this on her own. Bravo!
Letting Go and Finding Independence
filmpurgatory2 June 2022
One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. Many legendary older actors in the industry are often sidelined in favor of younger generations in most films. Older women have it even worse, often being relegated to specific roles, like the evil stepmother. A range of stories can be told with an older protagonist and older women and AVA: A Twist in the Road shows this off well.
This film is anything but a traditional drama. The story beats that are expected of the film don't happen. Instead, the film goes on a more freeform path where major story and character elements just happen. Is this a bad thing? Far from it. Movies shouldn't have to be predictable, because why would I want to see something where I can predict what's going to happen in the next scene? Although the film doesn't have a traditional approach, it ultimately succeeds at telling a story about moving on and becoming self-sufficient.
Some of my favorite shots in the film have to be when Ava is grieving in her home after learning of Bobby's tragic death. Unlike some films that I've seen, Ava's portrayal of grief is very accurate. She shuts herself in away from her friends, drinks her sorrows away and struggles to move on. Meanwhile, her neighbors and friends try to help her move on from Bobby's death by bringing her food and flowers. Throughout the film, Ava struggles to overcome her loss, as her previous idyllic life begins crumbling around her. Despite the film's strengths, there are a few problems I had with it. Some of the film's dialogue felt a bit too on-the-nose. Additionally, some of the lines delivered were a bit weak, and I also felt a few of the scene transitions were a bit too tacky at times and could have been toned down a bit.
Carrying the film is our lead played by Catherane Skillen. Her earnest performance makes Ava both relatable and likable. While she doesn't nail every line delivery, her performance feels very real, something many actors struggle with. My second favorite performance has to be Tannis Benedict who had the best line delivery as Ava's best friend, Leanne. However, I felt that Louie Mandrapilias as Michael was a bit stiff on his line delivery in his first few scenes, but noticeably improved later.
Overall, AVA: A Twist in the Road is good in its general storytelling and message. However, its technical side does suffer a bit, which occasionally takes me out of the film. Despite this, the film makes up for this by making Ava a likable protagonist who perseveres through and through. Is this film a perfect movie? No, but then again most films are not. But is it worth watching? Yes, I think it's worth a viewing, especially for those who are either undergoing or have underwent the cycle of grief.
This film is anything but a traditional drama. The story beats that are expected of the film don't happen. Instead, the film goes on a more freeform path where major story and character elements just happen. Is this a bad thing? Far from it. Movies shouldn't have to be predictable, because why would I want to see something where I can predict what's going to happen in the next scene? Although the film doesn't have a traditional approach, it ultimately succeeds at telling a story about moving on and becoming self-sufficient.
Some of my favorite shots in the film have to be when Ava is grieving in her home after learning of Bobby's tragic death. Unlike some films that I've seen, Ava's portrayal of grief is very accurate. She shuts herself in away from her friends, drinks her sorrows away and struggles to move on. Meanwhile, her neighbors and friends try to help her move on from Bobby's death by bringing her food and flowers. Throughout the film, Ava struggles to overcome her loss, as her previous idyllic life begins crumbling around her. Despite the film's strengths, there are a few problems I had with it. Some of the film's dialogue felt a bit too on-the-nose. Additionally, some of the lines delivered were a bit weak, and I also felt a few of the scene transitions were a bit too tacky at times and could have been toned down a bit.
Carrying the film is our lead played by Catherane Skillen. Her earnest performance makes Ava both relatable and likable. While she doesn't nail every line delivery, her performance feels very real, something many actors struggle with. My second favorite performance has to be Tannis Benedict who had the best line delivery as Ava's best friend, Leanne. However, I felt that Louie Mandrapilias as Michael was a bit stiff on his line delivery in his first few scenes, but noticeably improved later.
Overall, AVA: A Twist in the Road is good in its general storytelling and message. However, its technical side does suffer a bit, which occasionally takes me out of the film. Despite this, the film makes up for this by making Ava a likable protagonist who perseveres through and through. Is this film a perfect movie? No, but then again most films are not. But is it worth watching? Yes, I think it's worth a viewing, especially for those who are either undergoing or have underwent the cycle of grief.
Love and Loss
dtittone17 February 2023
In "Ava: A Twist in the Road," triple-threat director, writer, and actress Catherane Skillen has crafted a powerful character study that thematically explores the power of love and the overwhelming emotions associated with loss. Catherane provides a strong performance as Ava, an older woman struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of her soul mate. Her raw performance, coupled with strong supporting performances, amplifies the emotional story, and keeps the audience rooting for Ava's success. For a drama rife with pathos, the pacing is perfect and the cinematography, editing, and score all work together to support the film's message: find strength in loss.
Refreshing and Youthful
GuyLongstreet26 June 2022
This debut film by Catherane Skillen quickly establishes its voice by subverting the ageist narrative tropes of Hollywood. Skillen paints a thin but sincere tale about reclaiming identity in the face of death. A reminder to always keep growing.
A twist that leads us to discover a woman who reinvents herself.
CinemaLatam7 February 2022
First of all, I would like to highlight the impressive naturalness of Catherane Skillen's outstanding performance, which carries the entire film. I was delighted to discover that she is also the director and writer of this movie. She has an interesting way of conveying ideas through characters and dialogue.
A Beverly Hills story with a strong message at the end.
Highly recommended!
A Beverly Hills story with a strong message at the end.
Highly recommended!
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