DANCES WITH FILMS 2023 REVIEW! Director Rodes Phire and writer Sarah McMaster take the viewer on a journey through a tangled web of love, loss, trauma, and how to cope with it all in their 2023 feature film Farewelling. Jenna Rossi (Cristen Coppen) is an artist experiencing somewhat of a midlife crisis at the tail end of quarantine brought on by the global pandemic. After being cooped up in her home with her husband for weeks, her mental health is taking a toll, and signs of weakness are beginning to show. Jenna’s husband, Mikey (Rob Evors), is increasingly concerned with how the couple is going to make ends meet financially. The financial struggles have stacked onto the strains of the current global situation, causing a tension-filled relationship.
Jenna learns that her best friend Cindy (Lauren Selman) from college has died. The news is like gasoline on a fire, fueling her mental health into a deeper and darker spiral. She explores medication as well as continuing her fitness regimen as means to cope with the grief she is experiencing. Throughout the film, she is “visited” by the spirit of Cindy, providing advice and sharing her thoughts.
A close guy friend of Jenna and Cindy, Daniel (Robert Thomas Preston), comes for a visit after hearing the news of Cindy’s passing. Daniel brings along his very new and significantly younger girlfriend Kimberly (Anna Briggs) on his visit to Jenna’s home. Jenna is hurting over losing her friend much more than Daniel, and as such, she feels some resentment over the casualness of his visit.
“tangled web of love, loss, trauma and how to cope with it all”
Later, Jenna’s husband makes a call to another of her mutual friends from college, Tara (Rachel Deutsch), who shows up for additional emotional support. With so many personalities under one roof experiencing emotional trauma over the loss of a close friend, the drama is high.
Cristen Coppen brings a powerful and raw performance to the role of Jenna. This character experiences a whirlwind of conflicting emotions throughout the unfolding drama, and Cristen carries the lead role with intensity. The entire cast brings their best performances in delivering compelling and believable characters.
I mentioned that this film is set during the pandemic quarantine (a time I dearly hope to soon forget), initially setting off a red flag for me. However, unlike some pandemic-themed movies, Farewelling does not use the pandemic as a plot element crutch. Yes, it does play a role in the story, but it does so tactfully and without on-screen face masks (thank goodness!). Rather than serving as a horned plot device, the setting further enriches the characters’ circumstances.
This movie is a wild ride of emotions. While the characters struggle with a friend’s death, a sort of love triangle develops, one that is rarely welcome. There are a few twists throughout the movie that were unpredicted and ramped up the tension between the characters. Without giving too much away, the film culminates in what is certainly a thrilling affair. This movie will break your heart, question your relationships and keep you on the edge of your seat.
Farewelling screened at the 2023 Dances With Films.
