[rating=7.00]
We never used to think of how we die. Oh sure, in abstract ways we might have hoped for a good, peaceful death but the dignity of dying is a relatively new concept that is only now starting to take hold in the collective consciousness of the culture. We offer comfort to the dying, but what does that mean? Is it enough to give them a soft bed in a decent room, or is there something philosophically that should be explored in the process? What life is there in death?
Ms. White Light is a film that explores these ideas in the form of a sweet and charming romantic comedy. It’s the kind of low stakes film that won’t win any awards and may not make any careers, but that swims in charisma and heart. Writer/director Paul Shoulberg has crafted an impressive little indie that quite often offers a poignant look at life and death.
The film follows Lex (Roberta Colindrez) and her father Gary (John Ortiz) as they attempt to make a living in helping people who are having trouble letting go. Lex has an uncommon ability to connect with the dying and making them philosophically comfortable with the idea of their death, even as she has problems understanding the living. She uses notecards for interactions and can’t be bothered to learn how to make meaningful connections. This all changes when she’s hired by Val (Judith Light) whose stubborn refusal to submit to her cancer forces Lex to reconsider her entire life.
Colindrez is wonderful in her role as the guarded Lex; in her lies the existential angst of living as she tries to navigate the difficult waters of humanity with her father. Ortiz brings a fun levity to the duo that works in no small part thanks to the snappy writing of Shoulberg.
For his part, Shoulberg displays a knack for portraying intimacy and poignancy in uniquely cinematic ways. His direction leads to more than a few moments of surprisingly stunning camera work that builds the existential and comedic tension beautifully.
The film does suffer from a few narrative issues like the inclusion of Nora (Carson Meyer). While Meyer is fantastic in her role, the character itself often feels shoehorned in an unnecessary, ultimately slowing down the narrative of Lex and Val, as well as Lex’s romantic connection with Val’s psychic, Spencer (Zachary Spicer). Meyer is so good that I get why she wasn’t cut, but it’s hard to get over how heavy handed the character often feels.
Still, even with the occasionally muddled execution of the narrative, the abundance of charm found in Ms. White Light does make it easy to love. Shoulberg is well on his way to defining himself as a filmmaker and while he’s not quite there yet it’s clear that the potential for great things is waiting just around the corner.
