A married couple are the only survivors of a space cult.
THE HOME TEAM is used with permission from Luke Cartwright. Learn more at / thehometeam2020 .
Glen and his wife Glenrose are the only survivors of a space cult, which collectively went "Next Level" two decades ago. But the couple is still following the cult's teachings, which have them wear capes, adhere to strange rituals and not partake in any physical intimacy.
Glenrose is a true believer, but after so long, Glen may be ready to hang up his cape. Still, as a loving husband, Glen goes along with Glenrose's wishes, much to the disbelief of their daughter and the community around them. But things begin to change when Glenrose has a cancer scare, and the pair must confront their human mortality and rediscover just what life has to offer on "the Human Level."
Directed and written by Luke Cartwright, this charmingly offbeat short dramedy wears both its eccentricity and its emotions on its sleeve, making for an unusual and endearing viewing experience. It takes its time building up Glen and Glenrose's insular, whimsical world, from its peculiar lingo to its strange little rituals. There's a child-like charm to the colorful capes, and playfulness to the sets and props that make for often startling, otherworldly visuals, captured in warm, luminous cinematography.
But the writing also patiently establishes Glen and Glenrose as real characters navigating difficult feelings, weaving past and present to ground their present-day oddness in emotional context (and poke a little fun at cults in general.) Their attraction to the space cult emerges from genuine suffering, and being a loyal spouse who doesn't want to leave his wife, Glen has gone along with Glenrose's rigid fanaticism. But he wants nothing more than to rekindle the romance and love he feels for Glenrose. She's too caught up in keeping the cult going, however, leading to widening feelings of estrangement.
As Glen, actor Paul McDermott is a marvel, both navigating more offbeat humor of the storytelling but also capturing a man still touchingly besotted with his wife despite all they've been through. STRICTLY BALLROOM actor Tara Morice as Glenrose never lets up as the space cult's true believer, but she hints at the personal tragedy and sadness that led her to something so rigid. But despite her efforts, she cannot escape life's unexpected vagaries, and when she realizes her human flesh may betray her, she finally opens her eyes to the love and loyalty that's been beside her all this time.
Memorable, playful yet sincere, THE HOME TEAM has plenty of idiosyncrasies, but at its heart, it's a touching portrayal of what it means to be married, with all its ups and downs, and how we weather the highs and lows differently. "Til death do us part" is a central tenet of most marriage vows, but what happens when a partner truly believes their real life and self exists beyond the mortal coil? Or if the search for meaning and fulfillment blinds us to the love, loyalty and transcendence on "the Human Level" and the richness of the life already around us? Glen and Glenrose learn not just to look up at the heavens for a sign of transcendence, but to turn to one another as a refuge and loving shelter -- a haven that offers devotion, love and steadfast support from life's "imprecision."
5 сен 2024