Parallel Chords

Parents forcibly molding children into their own image is an old tale…an ancient one, in fact. You’d think we would have learned our lesson long ago. Alas, it all falls on deaf ears. Parallel Chords beautifully hits on the themes of living dreams through our children, a child’s innate need to please their elders, and our personal drive towards independence, individuality, and freedom.

As Jaqueline Archer, Rachel Ann is terrific as the woman pushed to her limits to ultimately take control of her life. You see her as the little girl witnessing her father’s obsession and addictions, the young rebellious teen unable to simply fall in love, and the conflicted soul in search of a voice.

“…themes of living dreams through our children…and our personal drive towards independence, individuality, and freedom.”

I also love that classical music finds its way into the backdrop of this film and in the emotions and frustrations of Lawrence and Jaqueline. At times, the film’s choices in music are beautiful, haunting and chaotic.

As insightful as the story is, Parallel Chords does have its flaws. Most of it is in its cinematography. The visuals are somewhat uninspired. Most of the camera’s medium shots and close-up were placed level with the actor’s eye-level. It’s all very standard film school setups but needed some visual creativity to break up the monotony. This is especially true with the final concerto. It’s an emotional moment, but I should have been much more emotional than it was.

That aside, a great deal of thought was put into Catherine Dudley-Rose’s story. It felt deeply personal, which comes across in the final cut. It’s a touching story and yet I can’t help but look at my own child and wonder how exactly I’m screwing up her future.