Lifechanger

Playing the role of Drew on screen is a host of talented actors giving their own spin on the shapeshifting title character while maintaining believable consistencies. Robert (Jack Foley) easily gets the more heartbreaking of the scenes, and he plays them nicely. Rachel (Rachel VanDuzer) performs the character with a glorious lack of fucks as his situation worsens and becomes dire. However, my personal favorite moments came from Sam (Sam White) and his sudden shift from family man dentist to a drunk misanthrope. To be fair to the entire cast, there isn’t a bad performance in the ensemble.

“To be fair to the entire cast, there isn’t a bad performance in the ensemble…”

McConnell, who also edited this lean pic seems to have a real ability to lead us around this dangerously simple conceit with a clear vision and a much bigger question to ask. The story is laser-focused on the narrative of a person who has for years remained disconnected, finally seeing beyond his own survival. Who are we if not united to something outside ourselves?

Lifechanger is not a flashy movie, though it does have some nice practical effects.  The focus is on the story as it should be. The script doesn’t skimp on the existential questions, yet it maintains an engaging pace and is filled with worthy performances. Overall Lifechanger is a superb sci-fi thriller with depth.

Lifechanger (2018) Written and directed by Justin McConnell. Starring Lora Burke, Jack Foley, Elitsa Bako, Rachel VanDuzer, Bill Oberst Jr., Peter Higginson, Sam White.

7 out of 10 stars