Synopsis: Noel Live follows Noel, a man with a mysterious case of short-term memory, who has lost everything. As he seeks to kill the man who took everything from him, he finds himself with a choice: forgiveness or revenge. Which will he choose?
Noel Live is a beautiful piece of short film mastery, definitely, worth watching if you are looking for something that breaks the mould of the generic mainstream cliché. Noel Live’s wife, Hope (Nora Dooley) is killed in tragic circumstances and all Noel Live, understandably grief stricken, is blinded by the need for revenge. When he is visited by a ‘friend’ of Hopes, who cannot talk him out of seeking revenge, he gives him the opportunity, to feel what taking revenge would feel like, in hope of changing his path. The only downside (and clever twist from writer and director Matt Ferguson) is that every few minutes Noel blacks out and when he awakes, he has lapses in memory.
The character of Noel Live is portrayed by an incredibly talented James J Crawley, who brings real depth, emotion, and relatability, in not only the delivery of spoken word, but body language as well. Viewing, you can ‘feel’ his pain, and empathize deeply with his character. He has a great voice for narrative too and I am excited to see what the future holds for James J Crawley.
The other catch is, that over the course of the film (especially in the beginning) there is some compassion for the man that is responsible for Hopes death, Leon (Sam Luttrell), as he pleads with Noel, expressing regret and remorse. It is this inclusion, that helps muddy the water and no longer makes it so black and white. It is details like this that really set Noel Live apart from the others.
There are a few things, aside from the acting, that I really loved about this film. The way Noel Live was executed was inventive, creative, and refreshing to see. The strongly constructed storyline, definitely drags you in and I really love how, Noel Live, brings a deeper side, usually forgotten within the action of other ‘revenge action’ films which tend to hide behind a mirror of movement and special effects. I also love, how the soundtrack plays to the emotion. You really feel like you are there, watching the events unfold. It is brilliant.
The cinematography, by Christopher Davis, is beautifully done and Noel live is tied together (by Christopher Davis and Matt Ferguson) in a way that is refreshing, and outside the norm. Honestly, I want to see more, and I do hope to do so in the future. Incredibly talented, and I definitely recommend you watch Noel Live.
Trailer courtesy of Matt Ferguson.
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