It's a strange phenomenon. There are small, gentle films out there that may be lacking in star power and budget, maybe even originality but they feature a story well told. Such films can flourish on the regional festival circuit though most of us will never see them in mainstream movie theaters. A SIMPLE CURVE is the story of a young man whose DNA is in a major battle with his family values. Having been raised by a former hippie, Caleb finds himself wondering whether it’s time to fly the coop or stand pat with an elder who is both a craftsman and a lost soul. Jim (Michael Hogan) just doesn’t fit into the modern, commodity driven world but Caleb quite probably does and he's trying to figure out where he belongs. In the battle between personal ambition and family there are those who stay and those who go. To see which type of young man Caleb is, you will have to watch the film.
A SIMPLE CURVE is shot in a picturesque, visually buttery style by cinematographer David Geddes and this is totally appropriate for this story and quite probably the highlight of the production. The performances are decent (mostly Kris Lemche as Caleb, whose previous credits are of the Ghost Whisperer and Joan of Arcadia variety), and grumpy old man Michael Hogan as Jim/Caleb’s dad is entertaining and has a foothold on the material.
There isn’t really much to the script except for a few minor plot twists thrown in between conversations about artistry versus commerce. However, the movie is engaging in its own strange way. It’s the kind of thing we would poo poo in major markets and they would yawn over in the New York Times but I’m sure that festival audiences would enjoy this film. At some cozy little theater in the northeast or at a film festival in the midwest where cynicism has not yet established a battle position, A SIMPLE CURVE could show you a very brief and pleasant little time. It ain’t original and it ain't exceptional but it is pretty and it does tell a pleasant little story fairly well.