Louisville

"There's something about fathers and sons; they either click or they clash. They try to talk, but all they hear is this great noise. Takes a miracle to make them click again." In this short fictional film by Scott Kecken and Joy Lusco, a grown African American son (Jeb) returns to the home of his estranged father (Pete), with his young son (Walter) in tow. Left in the care of his cold and bitter grandfather for a day, adorably wide-eyed Walter seems to work the beginnings of the miracle: Jeb and Pete finally confront each other with longstanding anger and recriminations, but by the end of the argument there's a sense of hope for reconciliation and reconnection. Louisville probably could have been a much more effective tale had there been a bit more narrative meat on the bones; the tale is so stripped of plot particulars that the story lacks much credibility or emotional heft. There's also a fair helping of shopworn plot conventions strewn around (the grandfather comes from a long literary and cinematic line of grumpy, deeply hurt old dudes brought around by dewy-eyed grandkids--Heidi, anyone?), and the acting, while competent, seems rather pro forma and unconvincing. Although the video sports a nicely melancholy score which heightens the mood of the story, this is an optional purchase, at best. Aud: H, C, P. (G. Handman)