Writer, director, and star Owen Squire Smith’s Late Bloomer is a five-episode web series about a man who has spent his whole life invisible to the world, finally deciding to do something about it in the most unlikely way possible. The story that follows is equal parts comedy, mystery, and something that cuts surprisingly close to the bone.
In the greatest form of irony, Jason (Owen Squire Smith) is not someone people notice. At 6’5″ and two hundred pounds, he should be the literal elephant in the room, but the truth is, he’s a wallflower. Nobody gives a damn about him. So Jason decides to do something about it by becoming a dancer at Mama Z’s (Altamiece Carolyn Cooper) dance studio. She is the perfect instructor, as she is no-nonsense and blunt with Jason. His goal is simple — learn how to dance and land a backflip.
Mama Z sizes him up and tells him point-blank that he’s too old for this. But she doesn’t send him away. Instead, she tells Jason to stop caring what everyone else thinks and start justifying his existence. The lesson kicks off, and it’s not pretty. The music starts, and Jason moves — or at least he tries to. He’s all over the place. The man is a goof. Mama Z can barely keep from laughing.
Between sessions, Jason heads off to his day job as an animator and designer, where his co-worker Audrey (Holly Berman-Carter) is about the only friendly face around. His supervisor, Maureen (Mya Murphy), is another story. She’s a tight-a*s who wants Jason to stop daydreaming and get his work done by the end of the day…that goes for Audrey, too.
“Jason decides to do something about it by becoming a dancer at Mama Z’s dance studio.”
Woven throughout all of this is the mysterious Woman in Red (Rowan Allegra), a figure Jason keeps seeing wherever he goes. At the end of the first episode, she becomes Jason’s biggest obstacle to success.
First and foremost, Late Bloomer feels like a very relatable story for anyone who has felt awkward and unseen in life (not saying that’s me… but maybe). As Jason, Owen Squire Smith nails the performance as our protagonist, presenting the contrast of a lanky giant discovering within himself the elegance of being a dancer. Physically, his work is incredible.
Again, it’s the personal performance that stands out. The obvious question Jason is forced to face is whether his identity is rooted in what he accomplishes or in the character he becomes. Is it important to look accomplished to the world or to ourselves? Questions like these are what make stories of ordinary people like Jason stand out from the pack.
Late Bloomer is a reminder that the most compelling stories are often the simplest ones — a person, a mirror, and the stubborn refusal to give up on figuring out who they are. Owen Squire Smith has built something worth your time.
For screening information, visit the Late Bloomer official website.
"…the most compelling stories are often the simplest ones..."
