The quality of any film, particularly an independent one, comes down to a few key elements. Generally speaking, if a filmmaker gets most of them right, it will translate into a good viewing experience. Bauer teamed up with real-life father/daughter duo Zac and Alexis Titus to create this nearly perfect indie movie. Shot in Montana’s breathtaking natural beauty, experienced at ground level via motorcycle, the cinematography is a visual feast. The soundtrack adds an exceptional level of depth and emotion. The script is stripped down to bare essentials to tell the story; there’s no wasted motion.
The result is an edit that has just the right pacing. The ebb and flow of the action are perfect, and the filmmaker wisely allows space and time to breathe and get some perspective in the middle. Finally, and most importantly, the performances are remarkable. Alexis Titus, in particular, brings heart and verisimilitude to Hanna which is a joy to watch.
“…nearly perfect…”
Two Yellow Lines calls back another famous ride between parent and child in Robert Pirsig’s novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The story is similar: the main character deals with mental health issues while trying to watch out for his child, who also shows signs of having problems. This is set against the same backdrop of the huge skies and rough land of the American West. It’s an excellent stage for grounded human stories, and Bauer makes the most of it.
The film provides a beautiful exploration of the PTSD experienced by Jack after losing his crew in a fire. Hanna feels rage and trauma dealing with adolescence on top of the abandonment of her father. True healing begins when they are compelled to interact with each other during the forced intimacy of the motorcycle trip. The movie opens with a soliloquy that sets the tone: “Mountains breathe, just like the rest of us. If you sit still, you can feel their pulse, air becoming life. Fire propels that pulse beyond a manageable rate, and air becomes death.”
Two Yellow Lines is art, a rare accomplishment these days. Many filmmakers aim for, but never quite get to, a result as effortlessly beautiful as this.
"…...is art, a rare accomplishment these days."
