How many times have we sat down with family members of an older generation to keep them company? Especially when we have a grandparent that is alone after the passing of their spouse, we make sure they have what they need and to be there in case of any emergencies. I, in fact, did just that with my own grandmother as her health began to fade; and as her increasing maladies took their toll, the people in her life made her slow passing more comfortable, even if she wasn’t always cognizant of her surroundings. Nathaniel Katzman has crafted a similar scenario in Start with Half, where an ailing traditionalist widower and his queer grandchild are spending an evening together, but has injected the situation with dry generational comedy by way of a marijuana muffin.
“After the pair split a pot muffin…the two abide each other’s company waiting for it to kick in.”
Robert (George Wyner) is old, largely alone, and suffering Parkinson’s Disease, making most actions a considerable chore. Bec (Petey J. Gibson) is a modern young adult, hip to the ways of technology, social justice, and weed. After the pair split a pot muffin to see if it will have a positive impact on Robert’s disease and general disposition, the two abide each other’s company waiting for it to kick in. What ensues is a subtle hilarity between dramatically different dispositions, and how weathered, stubborn people can still surprise even those closest to them.
"…overcoming our own preconceptions and finding new avenues by which we can approach life..."
