The Trailer:
Director: Lou Howe
Cast: Rory Culkin, David Call, & Deirdre O'Connell
Plot Summary: Gabriel (Rory Culkin), a young, emotionally disturbed man visiting home, goes on an obsession-driven quest to find his first love, Alice.
Hmm, Gabriel is an interesting film. At times I liked it at other times I though it to be tedious. It is described as a taut, psychological thriller, but I disagree. Taut? There is rarely any suspense or tense moments that would require the label "taut". And thriller? Again, there is no excitement or suspense, his journey to find Alice isn't suspenseful so much as it is disturbing. I would call it a psychological drama.
Gabriel, who prefers to be called Gabe (which is how I will reference him from this point forward), is coming home after some time in a halfway house (it is implied he was in jail or a mental institution). He is a depressed, anxiety-ridden guy wanting to be better, but doesn't know how to do it. In his delusional mind, he believes that if he finds Alice they will fall in love, get married, have children and then he will be cured. He is an overwhelmingly sad, fragile man who is on a downward spiral trying to fill the voids within himself, to no avail. In his process to find Alice, he becomes the worst parts of himself and loses the best parts. To be honest, it's difficult to watch this character mirror my own struggles with depression and anxiety, though his struggles are to a much higher degree than my own. Due to being able to relate to Gabe so well, I was totally absorbed by his journey, hoping that he would find what he needs, even if it's not what he wants. On top of Gabe's own struggles, there's the family dynamic that is just as troubled as Gabe is. His mother, Meredith (Deirdre O'Connell), is the best characterization of a mother who doesn't know how to help her son. She fears that the decisions she makes for him won't be to his benefit. She loves him to a fault; it is because of her love that she unknowingly becomes an enabler. When she realizes that what she's doing for him isn't making him better, she is more broken and confused as to how she will help him. Gabe's brother, Matthew (David Call), on the other hand is supportive of Gabe but only so much. He is a firm enforcer of tough love and just wants Gabe to be better, even if that means having to put him away again. The way that they all genuinely love and care about each other displays the best of familial love. And knowing how much Matthew and their mother truly care about Gabe, watching them lose hope in Gabe's recovery is heartbreaking. It's not easy to watch a loved one fall into a pit of darkness that they can't climb out of, it's even harder when you realize that you can't help them. I think most people who've seen the consequences of any mental illness, either firsthand or secondhand, will be able to relate to the hardships that Gabe and his family face.
The acting throughout is solid and raw. I can only praise Rory Culkin, as his performance is completely enthralling, I couldn't take my eyes off him. His ability to wear this layer of overwhelming sadness without it looking forced is truthful and easily relatable. It also helps that Rory Culkin is absolutely gorgeous! Deirdre O'Connell's performance as Gabe's mother is poignant and tragic, and she does it with such conviction and love that it feels real. David Call as Matthew is wonderful as well. Even Emily Meade as Alice is amazing. She is only in the film for the last fifteen minutes and, even in that little time, she amazes me with her talent; she is able to wear a mask of love and fear together without it looking fake. The cinematography holds just as much weight as the acting. During Gabe's search for Alice, everything is gray and gloomy, a reminder that he isn't in a great mindset. When he finally finds her, the world is bright and full of joy, a glimpse of hope for our protagonist. All scenes are beautifully shot and make an effort to show how Gabe's surroundings affect him.
Gabriel is one of those films that requires only one viewing because of how harrowing it is. Watching it again would be like ripping stitches off a wound that isn't yet healed; it would be that painful. I'm not saying everyone will appreciate and/or understand this film, and that's okay. It's not meant to please people, but to show us the hardships that a troubled individual and his family face. I definitely recommend y'all to watch it.
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