‘REVERB’ by Liv Boren and production company Jack and Grace Productions is a powerfully perceptive examination of grief through the eyes of a young girl. The ambitious New York-based filmmaker succinctly devised a script which centralises on twelve-year-old Vivienne, sneaking into her first concert with the help of her older brother. A traumatic event witnessed by the young siblings awakens feelings she’s struggled to suppress since the death of her mother and opens a door for the heartbreak and pain to pour out from.
The drama opens up with all of the joy and excitement palpitating through the screen as Vivienne is preparing to sneak out for her first live gig with her older brother. Liv perfectly captures that breathless and heady excitement whose relatability rings true to anyone who has lived a similar experience. Venerating their older sibling and the anticipation of that first time they welcome you into the mysterious and forbidden world they dwell in.
This sibling relationship is a cornerstone to ‘REVERB’ and the film’s gravitas and relatability is driven by the impressive chemistry we feel between Connie-Kiss Mee and Zac Pile. The young actors seem to bounce off each other with such ease, which is exactly what is needed as the storyline progresses and we see our older brother Joseph cajole his sister back from the pit of anguish she has fallen into.
The strength of a film lies within so many different components, and after praising both the writing and acting in REVERB, it would be remiss of me not to pay heed to the very astute and playful camera angles employed by Liv. The gig scene is filmed in a manner which brings the audience into the chaos, crowds and buzz that make the subsequent horrific accident all the more significant and understandably traumatic for our young music lover.
The aptly titled ‘REVERB’ pays homage to the filmmakers’ obvious love of music and the film is suitably punctuated by a commendable sound design and score from British bands Youth Sector, Saloon Dion and Black Bordello, including a performance by Sienna Bordello. REVERB stands apart from other such similar explorations as it doesn’t take us down some of the more typical routes in its demonstration of Vivienne’s suffering, but instead focuses on suppressed feelings. That aforementioned bond with her brother and a love for music draws her out of her unfathomable sadness but also lifts the film throughout, leaving the audience with a desire to sing, dance and reflect upon the healing power of the reverberation of music in our own lives.
Rocks Festivals Blog 