Positivity abounds and overflows in Taylor A. Purdee’s Killian & the Comeback Kids. We can all use a massive dose of positivity right now, but does its good feelings run so thick that it becomes sappy?
Our story opens with Killian Raison (Taylor A. Purdee) bumming his days as a street musician. He and his roommate are preparing to go on tour. That is until the roommate gets a real job that pays more than the tour would. Now Killian is left on his own without much direction. After running into old college classmate Sam (John Donchak), Killian goes home to re-focus and start his next musical venture. With Sam’s help, the duo convinces their gang of musical friends from college to reunite and audition for the famous annual “Fest” from his rural hometown. Think of this festival as Coachella for folk music.
“…convinces their gang of musical friends from college to reunite and audition for the famous annual ‘Fest’…”
If you’ve ever been in a band before, Killian & the Comeback Kids will feel familiar to you. With college long behind them, each band member is at that crossroads of following their musical passions or resigning themselves to a traditional job in civilian life. You see the pressure of making money play against the freedom in creating and perfecting their art. Then there are personality conflicts that can ruin any band (even The Beatles)—who’s the leader, who can manage the interpersonal dynamics, and what’s the band’s name?
The film is essentially Killian’s story. I love that he’s dedicated to a life in music, but still has personal hurdles to overcome. However, Killian is seen as the group’s leader. Not long after college, he left his friends to find fame in the big city. In only a few years, his once close friends turned into strangers and acquaintances, while the bonds of friendship grew without him. Killian is forced to face his shortcomings and piece together his estranged friendships.
Killian’s personal development is tested because of his self-doubt and the waning support of his parents’ (Nathan Purdee and Kassie Wesley DePalva). His father was once a musician himself and knows just how much pursuing a musical career is a lottery that only the lucky win. Their support of Killian’s “dream” is half-hearted at best.
Before I give you my review of Killian & The Comeback Kids, I should tell you what the movie is. It’s loaded to the brim with positivity—an uplifting story of musicians and pursuing one’s dreams. It runs for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, mainly because of its extensive music soundtrack. In the film, the style of music is compared to Mumford and Sons. I would describe as American Folk Music, with a bit of Gaelic flavoring.
"…positivity abounds and overflows..."
