Forged is one of those rare cases when an indie film fires on all cylinders. The story of Chuco, an ex-con with a horrific past, uses a stylized aesthetic, decent to good actors, technical acuity, and an engaging story to keep you interested and entertained throughout the entire film.
The film starts out as Chuco is about to be released from prison for having murdered his baby mama. While guilty of her murder, he is also guilty of leaving his son, Machito, without either parent, resulting in eight years of abusive foster homes for the boy.Forged will be showing at AMC Sunset Place 24 as part of the Maya Film Series.
The story is about redemption in a sense, but it is also about not giving in to our basic, more primal instincts. There is a lot of anger, resentment, and downright chicanery, pulling and pushing Chuco throughout the story, but you get a sense that the struggle is not so much against external factors (such as your ex-gang or your abandoned son wanting to kill you) but against one's inner struggle.
The film is beautiful - the saturation and graininess of the film lend it a simultaneously ethereal and gritty quality that parallels the human condition - -we are monsters but we are also angels.
Director William Wedig really nailed the aesthetic of the film, but he also did a fantastic job with the casting. All the characters from Chuco, to Machito, to Chuco's alcoholic mother, do a phenomenal job of carrying across an authenticity that makes the story that much more powerful.
What seems on the surface to be a grimy revenge drama turns into a powerful ballet with relationships and emotions spinning in every direction with a purpose all the while.
Forged will be showing at AMC Sunset Place 24 (5701 Sunset Dr., South Miami) today through next Thursday as part of the Maya Indie Film Series. Regular AMC ticket prices apply.
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