Two outsiders on the fringe of society find kinship and solace, no matter how much they annoy each other, during a crime-filled road trip in award-winning French filmmakers Lola Bessis and Ruben Amar’s crime dramedy Silver Star. After being released from prison, one-eyed introvert Billie (Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson) robs a bank to save her parents’ home, and inadvertently takes pregnant extrovert Franny (Grace Van Dien) hostage. With nothing left to lose after being suspended from her job, Franny decides to help Billie, for a cut of course, and they form a connection through their obstacles on the road, like losing Billie’s horse.
Silver Star tackles social issues, like the housing crisis, as Billie and Franny don’t have a place to live. The title refers to the Silver Star Billie’s father Henry Sands (Tony Pellerin) was awarded for his military service in Iraq, and the sad state of affairs that a veteran who’s served his country may lose his home. It’s also alluded to that Billie wound up in prison and lost an eye after an altercation with the police during a traffic stop, hinting at their brutality. Billie still suffers from that trauma and the anger she can’t let go of, and Franny gets irate quite quickly, like when she’s suspended from her job and worries about her maternity pay, capturing the outrage of the younger generation that society has left behind.
Franny offsets Billie’s quiet nature with her loud outbursts and comedic dialogue, like when Billie is patching up her wound and Franny says, “I feel like I can see inside your body.” The thriller elements work well creating tension in scenes like the bank robbery and later in a plot to steal from Franny’s ex.
Certain shots by the filmmakers stand out, especially when Franny holds up a piece of broken glass capturing both of their faces, showing how similar they are as well as mirroring their growing affection for each other. Many close-ups are used throughout to give an intimate look at these two women during their journey. While this is clearly a stylistic choice by the filmmakers, the abundance of close-ups start to feel a little overbearing in some scenes, like when they rob the gas station and the jilted movement seemingly tries to create tension, but ultimately makes the scene too chaotic.
Polérik Rouvière’s score aptly captures the mood in different scenes like when Billy arrives at the animal auction. Songs like Princess Nokia’s “Tomboy” set the tone well when it’s used after they rob the gas station, and Jackson C. Frank’s “Milk and Honey” while they ride the horse in the woods.
Silver State ultimately feels like a more modern-day Thelma & Louise, or as Franny calls them at the Civil War reenactment, “Bonnie and Cashton,” a clear reference to Bonnie and Clyde. Bessis and Amar show promise as up-and-coming talented filmmakers capturing a generation just trying to survive. Recommended.
Why might public and academic libraries consider Silver Star for their film collection?
Silver Star is one of those independent titles that might fly under the radar and it would be good to seek out. Silver State tackles social issues with two strong lead performances by Johnson and Van Dien. This crime dramedy should appeal to fans of independent cinema, and film students to show what can be accomplished on a low budget. Silver State would be a good addition for any movie library looking to build up their collection of independent cinema with up-and-coming filmmakers, and it’s a recommended purchase for Blu-ray and DVD.
Why should Silver Star be considered for community or classroom screenings?
There are many social issues tackled in Silver Star that are ripe for a post-screening discussion. Discussions can be focused around housing and what options are available, like local shelters, for those struggling to find it, for people who find themselves in Billie and Franny's situation. Another discussion point could be what programs may be available for veterans like Henry to help save their homes. Knowing the law and one's rights during a traffic stop by police can also be discussed in regards to what happened with Billie in her past. Another topic could be how to best handle situations at work, discussing how Franny gets suspended and what she might have done differently to try and keep her job.
Some marketing points that could be utilized for community screenings include Silver Star won Best Screenplay at the Love International Film Festival (Belgium) and also screened at Deauville American (France), Denver, Glasgow (Scotland), Kraftt (Slovenia), and Les Arcs (France) film festivals. The two leads have credits, like Stranger Things and Mary Harron's Charlie Says for Van Dien, and Totally Killer and Netflix series Boots for Johnson, that can be helpful in marketing. Van Dien also currently has 1.3 million followers on Instagram that could also help audience engagement. North American rights including public performance rights are held by distributor Indican Pictures.
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