Get your tissues ready, you’re going to need them for Libby Ewing’s brilliant directorial debut Charliebird, which follows a music therapist for terminally ill children as she takes on her newest patient. With her guitar in tow, the film introduces us to Al (Samantha Smart), a kind-hearted, goofy and beloved healthcare worker as she weaves in and out of patient rooms, working to lift spirits through art and provide closure to parents who have lost children. That’s when she’s introduced to 17-year old Charlie (Gabriela Ochoa Perez), who refuses her help. Through her multi-year battle with illness, she’s lost any semblance of control she has over her life and wants to retain what little she has left, but before long, Al chips away at Charlie’s hardened exterior and they embark on a friendship that becomes a healing journey for both.
As the film progresses, Al’s own trauma begins to come to light. The audience gets glimpses of the night when her sister was tragically killed, an episode that continues to haunt her. After a drunken breakdown, it becomes clear that she is suppressing the weight of her emotions, not only from her sister’s passing but also from her constant exposure to loss through her work. It’s only a matter of time before that weight becomes too heavy.
“… Al is a music therapist for terminally ill children …”
Smart, who also wrote the film, is a star in the making. The screenplay is tight, clever, and moving, but it’s her phenomenal performance as Al that really stands out. She makes the audience fall in love with the character within minutes, but we can also see the battle scars on her face. She’s exhausted but committed. In the quiet moments of the film when dialogue isn’t necessary, she continues to deliver heaps of important context through the smallest gestures. Perez is also wonderful alongside her as she navigates a tumultuous relationship with her parents while coming to terms with the reality of her illness.
Those performances are further amplified by Ewing’s choice to make the film in a 1:1 aspect ratio, a bold choice that catches your attention the second the film starts. The unique framing draws your focus deeply into the emotions of the characters, making it easier for Ewing to show the audience what’s most important in-frame. It also means more tight shots of the faces of Smart and Perez, a challenge they both handled with ease. Despite the crop, Luca Del Puppo’s stunning cinematography really shines, often employing a shallow focus to guide the audience’s eye.
In the end, Charliebird shows us that life is fleeting, so embracing both the good and bad moments is essential. It’s OK to be weird. It’s OK to not be OK. And above all else, art is an extremely powerful tool, both in teaching us to live and in helping us grieve. Ewing’s film may leave you in a puddle of tears, but it’ll also give you the hope you need to keep pushing forward.
"…may leave you in a puddle of tears, but it’ll also give you the hope you need "
