Broken Side of Time

OK, I have never done this, but I am 35 minutes into this film and cannot believe how awful this film is! The first 30 minutes were spent with one character. She played with her lighter for 15 minutes, spent some time on the phone, etc. The film is slightly over 2 hours long and I am getting sick and tired of people associated with a film writing phony reviews. Film making is an art, it requires a particular kind of talent and skill. Owning equipment does not a film maker make!! I wish there was some way to control bogus reviews because this does not qualify as a film! I am tired of wasting my time watching stuff that's unwatchable.

Spare yourself and pass this one by quickly!!

It happens to Dolce, to Federer, to Ronaldo, to you, me every one who one day goes over the hill, goes down side due to age, jadedness, staleness and you face what Dolce faces in this film. Its upto you, how gracefully and correctly you face it, change yourself and accept new changed life. She has tried her best, little slow in pace but message is clear. Change is change less, accept it.

"Broken Side of Time" was an interesting little project by Gorman Bechard. It follows veteran model Dolce (Lynn Mancinelli) on a road trip to her home, stopping at different places along the way for various types of photoshoots. She is leaving the modeling business, and she intends for these shoots to be her last big "hoorah" before leaving. We see Dolce struggling with a variety of different issues, from relationships to drinking and smoking. Through her actions and expressions, it is easy to tell what she is going through at any given moment, and Mancinelli is so convincing in the role it is hard to believe she is even acting. There are many great scenes, including my favorite where she gets behind the camera to shoot a younger model named Viral (Audria Ayers). My favorite aspect of the film was the use of natural lighting. Whether it be the sun shining through a window, or a sliver of light coming from a door, it makes the film seem all the more realistic. Bottom line, this is a good film not only if you are into the aspects of modeling and photography, but also if you like character study. I must admit, I don't get to see many indie films, but I am glad I caught this one.

First off, for people who seem to think every good indie film review is written by someone associated with the film, I have NOTHING to to with the film, the filmmakers, the cast, any of them. I read these silly comments here all the time, and wonder why people can't just understand we all have different tastes. I think big action movies suck. But I don't write reviews claiming that every good review was written by someone involved with the production. It's just ridiculous.

That said, Broken Side of Time is a beautiful film about a woman's journey to rediscover herself, to start over, when she realizes the job she loves now belongs to 18-year-olds and she can't and won't compete.

The opening half hour is a brilliant piece of acting my Lynn Mancinelli. There is virtually no dialog during this section. Instead, we see and feel the internal pain she's going through to come to the realization that she MUST move on with her life. Anyone who's ever been in a situation where they know they must make a decision they don't want to make will understand. It's like knowing you need to break up with someone. We see how hard the decision is for her.

The zippo lighter scene kills me. First off, it appears to be the only light used in the scene. It's stark, it's heartbreaking, it's how humans actually behave in real life. And for the record, it's about 30 seconds, not fifteen minutes. But for people with ADD, well...y'know.

Once she gets in the car and begins the road trip home, at about the 32 minute mark, the film changes tone. We see her come to accept her decision, and even turn from a very depressed creature, into the stunning model she once was. And as she slowly gives up the vices in her life, we see her smile for the first time. We see her begin to enjoy life.

Everything about this film is beautiful. From the performances, to the music to the way it was shot. It felt real to me. I've been there. Every woman I know has as well.

Broken Side of Time is what an indie film SHOULD be. Allow yourself to get lost in her journey. You won't be disappointed.

And if you're looking for a comparison, it's very much like a French film. Think Blue Is The Warmest Color. Or the American indie film Starlet. That's the vibe. If your attention span is that of a 4-year-old, this is not the film for you.

In 'Broken Side Of Time', Gorman Bechard has crafted a road-trip film that is equal parts literal and figurative. The story centers on Dolce, played by the fantastic Lynn Mancinelli, who has been modeling for a decade and is trying to figure out all aspects of her life: her career, her family, her passions, her vices, and herself. Despite not having any true insight into the life of a model like Dolce, I find it easy to relate both to her story and to both aspects of her journey. The film is beautifully shot, with captivating perspectives and dazzling balances between light and shadow, color and griminess, and action and passivity that speak directly to Dolce's movements and to her mental state throughout. Dean Falcone's score, which sounds as if could be a lost Chris Whitley instrumental album, provides a perfect backdrop from start to finish. I won't give anything away here, but I will say that of all the stories I've read and seen on film that follow a character through a journey whereby he or she is seeking redemption or change or insight into the meaning of life - whether his or hers specifically, or in a larger sense - this one speaks to me in a deeper and more direct way than most, particularly when compared to films of the past two decades or so following this general theme. Like life itself, there are moments of Dolce's journey that are hard to take, but they serve to provide both the character and the viewer with the drive to keep on going, to continue searching, to never lose hope. Bechard has struck a chord with me in 'Broken Side Of Time', and has given me plenty to think about in my own journey through life.