But the performances are the tracks that get this train home. The film is another great example of why it is so smart for actors to write and direct their own roles. Koloian is not afraid to present herself onscreen from flawed to almost unlikeable, making her transformation seem all the more honestly earned. I was floored by how much depth she instills in a character initially defined by superficiality. Koloian gives herself the room to show off what she is made of. Once again, more actresses need to be doing this.
Taylor is a joy. She fleshes out the character of Jennifer to where she isn’t merely a mouthpiece for religious views. Even on life support, the actor maintains an aura that lifts the proceedings. Bensch goes through the most hairpin arcs of the bunch and steers it like a champ. The obvious big shiny star is Markoff, the tall slice of priest cake. I love how Koloian doused him with the hunk hose. I could surf in that hair. It has calm waves like we haven’t seen since the 1980s.
“Tears welled up in me three times…”
Veazie’s script for Reason to Believe has some marvelous idiosyncrasies, such as the banana killing scene. The writer-producer paces the drama well, allowing the conflicts to sharpen and the stakes to rise higher. The immersion of Catholic doctrine into the narrative adds complexity to the drama, enriching it greatly. What would be a trite melodrama with a more secular treatment becomes downright baroque through the lens of faith.
Some may resist the script’s impulse to expose the viewer to Catholicism and possibly bring more to the church. But what I found refreshing was the well-drawn representations of the agnostics. This adds to the validity of the screenplay’s purpose of not just preaching to the choir but really trying to convey the Catholic philosophy to an outsider.
Tears welled up in me three times during the third act. Veazie and Koloian have a good grasp on how to make folks really feel. Take a chance on Reason to Believe, as I am willing to bet you will find it a winner.
For screening information, visit the Reason to Believe official website.
"…a rock solid feature directorial debut."
