A young teen is forced to grow up fast in Matt Engelbert’s feature film, What Tomorrow Brings. The story opens with the protagonist, Clara (Joely Engelbert), journaling as a form of therapy, recounting the traumatic events that have brought her to this point. Her thoughts drift back to the previous summer, when she and her bandmates were preparing for a concert in front of thousands. Bandmate Jason (Caden Martel) is frustrated because Clara is not putting in the work. Her boyfriend Noah (Emanuel Morgan), who plays guitar in the band, tries to comfort her.
Meanwhile, at home, Clara’s mother (Jessica Grové) is spiraling into depression since the death of her husband six years earlier. With her mental health deteriorating, she announces plans to check into a treatment center. The timing couldn’t be worse—Ruby’s birthday is just around the corner, leaving Clara to hold the family together.
With their mother gone, Clara looks after her younger sister, Ruby (Phoebe Engelbert), by making sure she has the best birthday ever. Still, Clara is overwhelmed by the responsibility. Clara reaches out to Lindsay (Grace Bydalek), a lawyer who visited her school, to ask about legal guardianship. When Lindsay begins to probe into Clara and Ruby’s situation, Clara pulls back from the conversation.
That night, Ruby becomes ill, and Clara must handle the mounting medical and financial burdens—declining credit cards, no electricity, and a broken-down car—without support. Through it all, Clara tries to keep life normal for Ruby, even if that means hiding the hardest truths.
Clara (Joely Engelbert) and Ruby (Phoebe Engelbert) embrace a rare moment of happiness in What Tomorrow Brings, a film by Matt Engelbert.
“Clara tries to keep life normal for Ruby, even if that means hiding the hardest truths.”
What Tomorrow Brings is a deeply personal labor of love for director/co-writer Matt Engelbert. Though he has experience in Hollywood, this film was done all on his dime, in which he recruited his family to help write the script and star in the film, and he pulled out his cellphone as a camera.
What Tomorrow Brings is also a very emotional story. First, we have a mother who has struggled with depression for years and makes a very bold and controversial choice for herself and her children. Then there’s Clara, who has been the solid foundation for her family since her father’s passing. She’s supposed to enjoy her teenage years while playing in a band. Now she’s not only responsible for managing the safety and well-being of her sister, Ruby, but also paying bills to keep the lights on, the car fixed, and the credit card paid. Stuff parents are supposed to do.
This is not Home Alone. What Tomorrow Brings plays out the realities of abandoning your children and the emotional toll it puts on those children. Story-wise, it can be a rough watch if you don’t like seeing children in danger.
As a film…let’s say that if you have a movie within you, there are no excuses…make your movie. What Tomorrow Brings has all the elements of indie guerrilla filmmaking. It’s shot on iPhones and whatever lighting and sound were available to them. Also, get your kids to star in your movie as well. It also helps that Matt Engelbert has a background in television. Despite the film’s low budget, it’s a visually appealing production, particularly in the camera setups at school, home, and office settings.
What Tomorrow Brings stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a bit of passion and a solid story. Matt Engelbert draws inspiration from his television background and the strength of its family-led cast and crew. For emerging filmmakers with little to no resources, this is proof that if you have a story to tell—especially one close to your heart—all you need is your cell phone, some willing collaborators, and the courage to press record.
"…All you need is your cell phone, some willing collaborators, and the courage to press record."
