This heartfelt dramedy starts out as a kind of “Office Space” meets “The Office” then segues into a serious drama about loneliness, despair and ultimately self-discovery.
After a tough divorce, Joe, a 38-year-old accountant consoles himself with visits from his son and his daily interactions with his free-spirited co-worker, Amelia (Sara Amini). Joe’s life is boring with a capital B. Making matters worse are a sick mother and nagging ex. Both take their pound of flesh out of Joe in different ways.
Amelia knows what Joe needs: solitude to connect his inner-self with the great outdoors. She hands him a book of nature sites she’s compiled. Places one can escape to on a dime without a horde of tourists to remind him of what he needs to escape from. But Joe feels safe in his life-work cocoon and initially refuses Amelia. “I’m not going into some rock canyon alone. I saw 127 Hours,” says Joe.
When Amelia goes missing for several days, Joe follows a “FIND ME” letter and ultimately a package with an SD card from Amelia. Thus begins both a search and journey—guided by Amelia’s videos, which he discovers hidden in rocks and crevices. These lead us to stunning destinations like Zion’s “The Narrows,” Death Valley’s Sidewinder Canyon, and Yosemite. Along the way, Joe encounters Jordan (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), a nature-loving waitress who invites him to join her and some friends on an overnight camping trip. Joe eventually runs into Amelia’s estranged sister Helena (Krizia Bajos), who reveals why Amelia disappeared.
The Joe-Amelia interactions are charming and fun to watch. And Joe’s everyman is accented with wit and dry humor. It makes him as real as the nature he’s sent to explore. There’s an honesty about the guy that makes him likable and approachable. Too much so for his ex and parents but enough to draw others to him—like Jordan, Amelia, and her sister.
Does Joe find Amelia? Does he connect with nature and discover inner peace? Does he change his boring life? All intriguing questions answered in various ways in this charming little indie.
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
