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And Then I Go
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Wikipedia article
'And Then I Go' is a 2017 American drama film directed by Vincent Grashaw and starring Melanie Lynskey and Justin Long. It is based on the 2004 novel 'Project X' by Jim Shepard.
Plot
Edwin and his only friend, Flake, navigate high school while dealing with relentless bullying and self-isolation. While Edwin is more sensitive and quiet, Flake is impulsive and explosive emotionally. There is extreme pressure on both of them, with faculty members and their own parents making assumptions that they are the ones at fault. In truth, the boys are both being bullied and the "fights" are one-sided. Edwin's parents, his father in particular, generally dismiss every remark he makes as petty teenage angst, and only start showing concern when the vice principal of the school invites them for a meeting. During an afterschool hangout at Flake's home, he shows Edwin his father's gun collection, floats the idea to shoot up their school, and Edwin reluctantly agrees out of loyalty to his childhood friend.
While developing the plan, Edwin's artistic ability is noticed by his art teacher, who later encourages him to join an art project to enter a competition. He is approached by two classmate girls who tell him they heard that he had art skills and they wanted him on their team, which he reacts to with a small smile, though Flake, by his side, mocks the girls. Edwin appears to gain self esteem incrementally in the process. However, this whole time, Flake hasn't given up on their "project," and the two are still being targeted for bullying. One afternoon there is a fight between Edwin and Flake at Flake's house which ends up with Edwin bloodied and crying at home. During the period of non-contact afterward, there is visible improvement in Edwin's mood and mental wellbeing. One evening, a man and his son are playing in a field while Edwin watches. Edwin politely asks for them to stop because the boy has Gus's beloved toy ball, but they keep walking, so in a moment of frustration, Edwin curses. The man becomes unreasonably aggressive and shoves Edwin to the ground, and they leave with Gus's ball. This affects Edwin profoundly, and he leans farther toward a mentality of seeking retribution. Flake and Edwin later make up and continue to develop their scheme. At a convenience store, they run into a younger acquaintance named Herman, who is also a target for bullying in the seventh grade for another seventh grader named Budzinski. When Flake unsuccessfully threatens Budzinski to stop, Budzinski targets Herman even more. Sporting a black eye, Herman sullenly tells Edwin, "Someone's got to do something," and voices that he wants to get a gun. This worries Edwin. Flake insists on letting Herman in on the plan.
As the day of the school assembly nears, Edwin's father's birthday is approaching as well. In an effort to connect with her son, Edwin's mother plans a family trip to the lake with a sailboat they used to take for outings. When Edwin hears this will be on the day of the shooting, he is struck with inner turmoil, but Flake threatens him not to back out of the plan. The night before the assembly, Edwin quietly watches over his younger brother, Gus, who he is very fond of, and later on that night goes to the school with Flake to block off the majority of the school doors and store their weapons in their lockers. That morning, he wishes his father good luck on his lecture and receives a reminder from his mother about the lake trip. At school, Flake gives him a quick run-down of their plan again, and urges Edwin to stick to it. Edwin is to go into the bathroom while the students filter into the gym for the assembly, get the duffel with guns, and then head into the gym with Flake. Flake shoots his classmates without hesitation, sending the audience frantically running. Edwin cannot bring himself to raise his gun, however, and Flake is killed by the police while struggling to reload his rifle.
The ending shows a flashback of Edwin and his family at the previously mentioned lake, with voiceover of Edwin relating a story about their having towed another boat to shore. Edwin mentions remembering clearly the joyful expression of the child passenger, while thinking in a paternal manner: "Good for you, kid. Good for you."
Cast
*Arman Darbo as Edwin Hanratty
*Sawyer Barth as Roddy ("Flake")
*Melanie Lynskey as Janice Hanratty
*Justin Long as Tim Hanratty
*Kannon Hicks as Gus Hanratty
*Melonie Diaz as Ms. Meier
*Lucy Shepard as Girl in Class with Book
*Tony Hale as Mr. Mosley
*Mike Reyes as Soccer Player
*Louis Robert Thompson as Soccer Coach (as Robert Thompson)
*Michael Rousselet as Pranked Caller
*Sean Cook as Detention Monitor (as Sean G. Cook)
*Hunter Trammell as Matthew Sfikas
*Sharon Murray as Mrs. Pengue
*Steele Whitney as Dickhead
*Conner McVicker as Weensie
*Carrie Preston as Ms. Arnold
*Phebe Cox as Michelle
*Royalty Hightower as Tawanda
*Michael Abbott Jr. as Flake's Dad
*Sarah East as Flake's Mom
*Dallas Edwards as Herman
*Aiden Mao as Kid in Convenience Store (as Aidan Mao)
*Meka Butler as Science Teacher
*Scott Goodman as Rocketman
*Jostein Sagnes as Budzinski
*Abigail Esmena Froehle as Budzinski's Mom (as Abigail Froehle)
*Sean Bridgers as Little Kid's Dad
*Brooks Roseberry as Little Kid
*Sherrick O'Quinn as Convenience Store Clerk
*Emmett Shepard as Gym Teacher
*Kathlene Ashcraft as Neighbor (uncredited)
*Sid Augustyn as Jerk Classmate (uncredited)
*Ele Bardha as School Counselor (uncredited)
*Dianna Craig as School Nurse (uncredited)
*Calloway Denton as Student (uncredited)
*Caia England as Student (uncredited)
*Emily Knapp as Student (uncredited)
*Alexis Neblett as Student (uncredited)
*Kat Perez as Homeroom Teacher (uncredited)
*Jim Shepard as Social Studies Teacher (uncredited)
*Jared Winslow as Cafeteria Kid (uncredited)
Release
'And Then I Go' made its worldwide premiere at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Festival.
The film was picked up for distribution by The Orchard, and was released theatrically as well as on VOD and Digital HD on April 17, 2018.
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 92%, based on 13 reviews, and a Metacritic score of 77.
The film has received almost unanimous critical acclaim with Justin Lowe of 'The Hollywood Reporter' calling it, "A powerful portrait of teen alienation." Further stating, "A disturbing drama of teen disaffection, Vincent Grashaw's feature provides an essential and insightful perspective that will resonate with audiences attuned to the challenges of adolescence."
Forbes goes on to call the film "an uncommonly poignant treatment of adolescence, darker but not entirely dissimilar from Richard Linklater's 2014 masterpiece, 'Boyhood', irrespective of where this particular story leads." Further stating, "And Then I Go is less a film about school shootings than one about the crushingly real struggles of youth, struggles that adults quickly forget or make light of, which often just exacerbates the problem. That such difficulties can lead, increasingly, to equally real tragic ends should give any parent or educator pause. We may not be able to stop school shootings once and for all, but recognizing that each one is unique, and likely the product of something far more commonplace than mental illness, might be a place to start."
Entertainment Weekly garnered the film a 'B+' rating and listed as a 'Must See'. Leah Greenblatt commenting, "What Grashaw does remarkably well, in the movie's harrowing final minutes, is put us entirely inside Edwin's head; not as a sociopath or a killer, just a boy in a world of pain."
In Michael Nordine's positive IndieWire review of the film declares, "We need to talk about this disturbing coming-of-age drama." calling it, "an intimate, sympathetic character study."
Bob Strauss of the 'Los Angeles Daily News' stated the film is "a deep, lived-in study of bullied middle school kids who plan to solve their problems in the worst possible way."
Reel News Daily claims, "'And Then I Go' will haunt every parent in America."
We Live Entertainment begins its review with, "'And Then I Go' is one of the most uncomfortably realistic films I've ever seen, which is also one of my highest compliments."
Christopher Llewellyn Reed of Film Festival Today gave the film a score of 4 out of 4 stars, stating, "Beautiful and haunting, 'And Then I Go' is a vital work of art, and a must-see movie for our time."
Moveable Fest's review states the film, "Powerfully Opens Up a Conversation on School Violence."
Hollywood News stated that the film, "promises to stay with you long after the credits role."
CNN stated, "'And Then I Go' pulls back the curtain on school shootings in America", calling it, "a powerful film."
Awards
New Hampshire Film Festival
Rome International Film Festival, USA
References
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