Review: The Things We Carry

Film Review: The Things We Carry

Athena and Alyssa Lobit

By Cole Akins

The Things We Carry is an emotional film that could have easily slipped into a made-for-Lifetime TV drama. Yet, it rises above the melodrama genre by providing fresh characters and refraining from soap opera dialogue and exhaustive tears. It remains real and unforced throughout.

The story centers around two estranged sisters who reunite after their drug addicted mother dies. Emma, played by Alyssa Lobit, is especially bitter of her mother’s unbalanced behavior and addiction. Emma goes years without finding resolution to her emotional trauma and the anger pops up quickly once she returns home from her adventures abroad. By the end, Emma realizes that she has overlooked her mother’s compassion and love. Closure is found between the polarized sisters who handled their mother’s addiction in different ways, but also between Emma and her mother’s memory. The real focus of the story is the relationship between Emma and her mother.

It blows me away that this is the first feature film for both Lobit sisters who teamed up and held various roles. Neither one had a background in filmmaking. Athena worked in a Nickelodeon animation department and Alyssa was an actress (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1109642/). Despite lacking any background in film production, the quality of their work jumps out. Quitting her animation job, Athena Lobit worked as a first time producer for the film while Alyssa wrote the attention grabbing screenplay. Her script for The Things We Carry reached the Quarterfinalist of the renown 2007 Academy Nicholl Fellowships. Out of 5,050 entries, her work made it to the top 5 percent- incredible for a first time writer. Alyssa and Athena also worked alongside Maureen Meulen, the film's editor.

The film almost never shot, hitting a major roadblock early on. With no principle financial backer, Athena was three days away from canceling production. Athena and Alyssa’s father stepped in and saved the project.

An actress with no writing experience, a first time producer, and plenty of obstacles in their way, Athena and Alyssa Lobit made their movie sing. They have set an example of what motivated people can do with a powerful story and a determined vision. The film and their follow-up Q&A session capped an excellent Saturday night at the Festival.

A distribution deal has been announced. Check for The Things We Carry on Amazon and Netflix in April! Film festival supporters: Rate and comment on the film... it creates more buzz and attention. It’s one way indy films gain more mainstream attention....

Check Out: www.thethingswecarry.com

For more information on SJIFF3: www.sjiff.org

Wednesday at the Empire Theater...

-After two days off, films restart Wednesday at 6:30pm with the documentary They Came to Play- a film benefit for the Stockton Symphony. Tickets Available

-The night closes with the 2009 SJIFF BEST PICTURE WINNER Cherry Blossoms at 8:45pm.

Tickets Available

Without support from moviegoers like you, SJIFF couldn’t take place. Everyone at the San Joaquin Film Society thanks you!