The Levelling
Prodigal
Daughter Tries to Reconcile
with Estranged Dad in Haunting Parable of Biblical Proportions
It's
not very clear whether Harry Catto's (Joe
Blakemore) death was a murder or a suicide. One thing's
for certain, though. It wasn't merely a mishap, because nobody
accidentally sticks a gun in his own mouth and pulls the trigger. The
cops suspect that he killed himself, but his father (David
Troughton) is too much in shock to press them to
launch a full investigation.
This
tragic state of affairs greets Clover Catto (Ellie
Kendrick) when she returns home to attend her younger
brother's funeral. Although she's been away in veterinary school,
she's been estranged from her father for years. In fact, this is her
first visit back to Somerset since the 2013 flood which devastated
most of the wetland region's coastal plains.
Upon
arriving, Clover sees that much of the rural area still hasn't
recovered from the deluge, including the flattened dairy farm that
she grew up on. But before she can devote any attention to the idea
of resurrecting the family-owned estate, the grief-stricken Prodigal
Daughter needs to focus on reconciling with her father and on
figuring out the circumstances surrounding her sibling's slaying.
That is
the engaging point of departure of The Levelling, a haunting,
modern parable of Biblical proportions. The deliberately-paced mood
piece unfolding against a decidedly-barren, British backdrop marks a
most impressive writing and directorial debut by Hope Dickson Leach.
The
film also features a nonpareil performance on the part of Ellie
Kendrick as Clover. The talented ingenue exhibits considerable range
in service of a very emotionally-demanding role. She is assisted in
this endeavor by an equally-capable supporting cast basically
composed of David Troughton as
a dad plunged deep in denial, and Jack Holden as an eyewitness with
lots of answers.
A
heartbreakingly-palpable
exploration of a strained father-daughter relationship as well as a
thorough post mortem on their loved one's untimely passing!
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for profanity and brief frontal nudity
Running time: 84 minutes
Distributor: Monterey Media
To see a trailer for The Levelling, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNC8SeWPiw4
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