Sand Castles (2014)

In rural Indiana, Noah and his impoverished family wrestle with the mysterious return of his now mute sister Lauren, who was kidnapped and held captive for over a decade.

Director:

Clenet Verdi-Rose

Writers:

Jordon Hodges (screenplay), Jordon Hodges (story)

Stars:

Jordon Hodges, Anne Winters, Randy Spence

13 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jordon Hodges	...	Noah Daly
Anne Winters	...	Lauren Daly
Randy Spence	...	Tommy Daly
Saxon Trainor	...	Marie Daly
Daniella Grace	...	Alison Paige
Scott Jemison	...	Detective Cloud
Clint Howard	...	Todd Carlson
Jason Welden	...	Marcus Jones
John Newkirk	...	Jim Daly
Joey Cipriano	...	Young Noah Daly (as Joe Cipriano)
Maggie Mae Fish	...	Sara
Richard Hackel	...	Virgil Weaver
John D. Carver	...	Bartender Rick
Craig Lemons	...	Bob
Glendon Hobgood	...	Perry (as Glen Hobgood)

Storyline

In rural Indiana, Noah and his impoverished family wrestle with the mysterious return of his now mute sister Lauren, who was kidnapped and held captive for over a decade.

---

Plot Keywords:

younger version of character | reference to charles dickens | hunt | feeding an animal | mental illness | 

---

Taglines:

Tragedy runs through our blood

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Castelli di sabbia

Filming Locations:

Goshen, Indiana, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Oceanus Pictures, Green Rose Pictures, Dragonfly Recording Studio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in a total of 19 days around Goshen, IN; Elkhart, IN; Bristol, IN; and St. Joseph, MI. Using about half Midwest based crew and half LA based crew.

---

Quotes

Tommy Daly: You know it's been good having Lauren back... Ya know since she's been back it's opened my eyes to a few things about... I just wanna say I'm gonna make all this up to you guys I'm, I'm gonna make sure that things change for the better around here... And I promise you that.
Noah Daly: Cool.

---

Soundtracks

The Silence of Angels
Written by Todd Maki
Performed by Todd Maki

User Reviews

'Sand Castles' Is An Interesting, Emotional Roller Coaster

Ten years ago, little Lauren Daly (Anne Winters; Wicked City) was abducted while on a family trip to the beach. Devastated, the remaining family members spend the next ten years battling against alcoholism, depression, and suicide. Sand Castles depicts a tragic story of a lost childhood and the lives affected by that loss.

Ten years on and Lauren's brother, Noah Daly (Jordon Hodges), is taking care of his now alcoholic mother with help from his uncle Tommy (Randy Spence). Quick flashbacks reveal why Noah's father is no longer in the picture; an event that also took its toll on their family. The household is squeaking out a type of existence although it is clear that Lauren's disappearance hit them hard. But then they get a visit from the detective who has been on the case since he was a rookie. He informs them that they have found Lauren alive and it throws their new world for a loop.

Now a teenager and unwilling and/or unable to speak, Lauren tries to reintegrate into her broken family with the detective and a case worker looking over their shoulders. The case worker does her best to help Lauren, including taking her to a play based on a worn out book she carries around. But the presence of alcohol does not help. Lauren's mysterious return also re-energizes the investigation into her disappearance. Clint Howard co-stars as an eye witness who believes he saw Lauren getting dropped off where she was found; an account that leads Tommy down a dark, potentially heart breaking path.

The use of flashbacks is nearly perfect in this film. They tended to be short little clips introducing characters or circumstances just when that information is most useful. For example, when the detective is introduced, they have a quick flashback to him as a rookie getting the call of a missing person (Lauren). It's not too drawn out, gets the exposition out of the way, and keeps the story flowing at a decent pace.

Overall, Sand Castles is an interesting, emotional roller coaster. The characters are (mostly) likable and the actors are very respectable in their parts. The plot is depressingly believable and shows that your world can change in an instant both for the worse and for the better. I would have preferred a bit more closure regarding Lauren's kidnapping, but stick around during the credits for a bonus scene that does wrap up a few last threads of that mystery.

• Bradley Smith, Red Carpet Crash