A man attempts to help a troubled young woman find her way in life.

William (Brookes) is a respectful man who plays the piano at church and presents a local television show with his wife, who appears to have left him. One day, by chance, he meets Tina (Kelly) an unmotivated, jobless woman and the two of them begin a friendship. Unfortunately, Tina is involved in drugs and owes money to her dealer Dan (Cooper). Desperate, she goes to William for help and he offers to pay her debt for her and to assist her in getting back on her feet. Will Tina be able to pull herself together and start a new life?

This is a hard-hitting and emotional story that focuses on two individuals and their struggles. There is lot of emphasis on the rapport that develops between Tina and William, as their lives intertwine and they learn more and more about each other, including about their past and the problems they are facing. What keeps the audience intrigued is how and if these two characters are going to overcome the challenges that they are up against. There is a lot of drama and confrontations throughout and there are also moments of tenderness.

Kelly's performance deserves a great deal of praise, as she is very convincing as a rebellious, foul-mouthed individual who had an unstable upbringing and is now living a motiveless life. Brookes is terrific in his role, in which he plays a character who is quite different to Kelly's, as William is well-mannered, lives in a fancy residence and had been living a respectable and happy life until his wife left. However, what he has in common with her is that he too is facing hardships.

Clarke utilises long takes often in this feature and they work effectively. Credit also goes to Nicolas Iaconis IV for the music.

Basically, this is a film about two people who meet and end up having a significant impact on each other's life. It is a story about the hardships of life, about friendship, support, self-discovery, regrets and moving on to better things. It suggests that although life can be cruel, with inner strength and the support of others, there is hope for a new start.

Originally published here: https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/reviews/a-light-through-coloured-glass