BALLAST
US, 2008, 96 minutes, Colour.
Micheal J. Smith Sr, Jim Myron Ross, Tarra Riggs, Johnny Mc Phail.
Directed by Lance Hammer.
Ballast is necessary for smooth and safe sailing with an even keel. This is not true of the African American family from the Mississippi delta portrayed here. The film opens with a twin killing himself and the other, grieving, shooting himself but not fatally. The conflict has been between the dead man and his estranged wife, who has taken out a court order to prevent him going near his son. The son is curious and tries to get to know his uncle. When the mother loses her job, she wants to sell the family store and home and make a new beginning.
Kind gestures from the uncle bring about, first, a change of mind, as the woman decides to work the store with her son. As she succeeds and the two make an agreement to home school the boy, barriers begin to break down. Forgiveness is possible, especially when past events (including her addiction) are spoken of truthfully. The final image of the three in the car going to the store indicates that truth leads to reconciliation.
The locations are atmospheric, winter in the poverty of the delta, and the cast is drawn from local amateurs who are completely persuasive.
Winner of the SIGNIS award at the Buenos Aires festival, 2008
1.The impact of the film? A particular narrow world? Universal message, repentance, reconciliation, redemption?
2.The Mississippi Basin, the fields, the water, the bird life, homes, the town, the shop? A depressed area? Winter?
3.The fact that the film had only ordinary sounds and no musical score?
4.The title, balance, for whom? Lawrence, Marlee, James?
5.The opening, James and running and the birds and freedom? The contrast with John Dixon, going to Lawrence’s house, a good friend, Darrius’s death? Lawrence silent in the house? Lawrence shooting himself? The ambulance, hospital, the surgery, Lawrence waking up, ten days, going home? John offering help, Lawrence silent? John keeping the dog? Opening the door, Lawrence going for the meal, going for the walk?
6.The importance of the theme of twins? Lawrence and Darrius as twins, their past, radio work, feeling for each other? Darrius marrying Marlee, the birth of James? Marlee and her drugs, the injunction to keep Darrius away? Their father, working hard, the shop, leaving it to them? The build-up to the suicide? Lawrence and his empathy, shooting himself? His love for his brother, feeling his brother, the explanation about the physiological origin of twins to James?
7.James and his running, the birds, at home, school, drugs, the teenagers, violence? His relationship with his mother? Going to Lawrence’s house, the gun, taking the money? Curious about his father, the information about the restraining order? The visits and his mother’s reaction?
8.Marlee, as mother, hard in her attitudes, the past, the marriage to Darrius, anti-Lawrence, the drugs, the demands on Lawrence, the shop, house, the possibility of sale? Her being fired from her job, her grief?
9.Lawrence, the offer of helping James, going shopping, Marlee thanking him, the caution? The offers about work?
10.Marlee’s decision, going to Lawrence, the contract about work in the shop, Lawrence not working, the phone calls, re-establishing the deliveries, customers, serving the petrol, her hard work, James working in the shop, the customers, her abilities?
11.The issue of James and his schooling, home schooling, Lawrence and Marlee and their arrangement, James and his study, the books, the parcels coming, opening them? James and Lawrence, walking the dog, sharing?
12.Marlee and the gradual change? Washing up, Lawrence’s kiss and her angry reaction? Lawrence and his resuming his silence? Suicidal or not?
13.The final scene, the three in the car together, going to the shop, working together, relating together, the possibilities for a future, the ballast in the car, the ballast in life?
