“Lunar Sway”
(Canada)
Screened at the 44th Reeling Chicago International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (3/5)
Letterboxd (3.5/5), Imdb.com (7/10), TMDB.com (7/10), Imdb.com critics review
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The search for one’s true self can be an exasperating process, especially if one doesn’t know what to look for or how to respond to what one finds. It can be intrinsically overwhelming physically, emotionally and psychologically, leaving one not knowing what to believe. And that’s the exploration writer-director Nick Butler takes on in this amusing, delightfully offbeat character study of Cliff (Noah Parker), a twenty-something lost and confused bisexual neon artist who lives with his adoptive parents (Irina Dubova, Michael Dyson) in Mooncrest, a small desert town in southern British Columbia (yes, such an improbable locale does indeed exist). Given that the qualities that make up the protagonist’s nature often make him feel like a stranger in his own hometown, he’s a bona fide seeker, engaging in an array of cultural, vocational, artistic, sexual and alternative spiritual experiences in hopes that they will provide the senses of purpose, connection and direction that have long eluded him. In pursuing this path, though, Cliff ends up unwittingly drifting from one bizarre situation to another, interacting with a range of diverse and colorful characters, such as Marg (Liza Weil), a woman who claims to be his birth mother but hardly seems like the maternal type given the wealth of secrets she carries around with her; Bailey (Grace Glowicki), a gonzo, sarcastic bounty hunter seeking revenge against a con artist who allegedly wronged her; Neal (Andy Yu), Cliff’s evasive, often-indifferent therapist and a source of frequent witty but antagonistic exchanges; and a pair of romantic interests, Jovi (Kaden Connors), a painter who creates provocative portraits of his subject, and Stew (Douglas Smith), who professes to be a cosmetic dentist, a claim that seems dubious in a town as small and remote as Mooncrest. While Cliff’s story might thus come across as episodic and meandering, it’s never dull, especially for viewers, who are treated to a steady, evenly paced stream of truly original, consistently quirky humor that characterizes and connects the picture’s various segments. In many ways, the film feels like it was inspired by the works of filmmaker David Lynch, ever surprising the audience with its unique narrative and nicely complemented by its clever writing, snappy editing, a whimsical production design and a vivid color palette that gives the story an inherent sense of vibrancy as Cliff comes to discover himself and what he needs out of life. The off-the-wall nature of “Lunar Sway” probably won’t appeal to everyone, but, for those seeking something different out of their cinematic experiences, this one will indeed take you to the moon and back.