Ashgrove is a psychological drama that incorporates mystery and science fiction elements. Bolstered by strong performances from the cast, director Jeremy LaLonde weaves together an inventive and compelling film exploring the concepts of truth and sacrifice that will keep audiences guessing.
In the not-too-distant-future, the world is ravaged by a water pandemic, which has already claimed the lives of 60 million people. Bacteria causing this virus are found in the world's drinking water, leading to "The Great Paradox": humans need water to survive, but too much water will cause their demise. We're told that the human species has 5 years before extinction, placing immense pressure on scientists to find a cure.
One of the brightest minds, Dr. Jennifer Ashgrove (Amanda Brugel), appears to be the closest to finding a cure, but is hampered by regular blackouts. After a particularly significant episode, Jennifer is ordered by her boss, Frank (Sugith Varughese), to take a weekend to reset and relax. Jennifer and her husband Jason (Jonas Chernick) drive out to the Ashgrove family farm for a couple days of canoeing, reading and general leisure. Jennifer invites her friend and colleague Elliot (Shawn Doyle) and his wife Sammy (Natalie Brown) to join them for dinner one evening.
Throughout the film, we experience the toll Jennifer's job has had on her marriage. Jennifer and Jason are virtual strangers to one another and have seemingly lost their spark. As the two attempt to reconnect over the weekend, there's an unsettling feeling that something isn't quite right.
At the heart of the film is a partnership falling apart causing great pain and heartache to both Jennifer and Jason. Brugel and Chernick have a real honesty in their dynamic — two people who know each other intimately, but have become outsiders to one another. The tension comes to a head in a great dinner scene between the two couples. Doyle in particular stands out, as his agitation noticeably grows throughout the evening.
In addition to Doyle, the entire cast is great. Brugel delivers an incredible performance as Jennifer, lending so much raw intensity that audiences can viscerally feel her frustrations and pain. As her counterbalance, Chernick convincingly offers the other side of their relationship coin as the neglected spouse whose own achievements and ambitions have been ignored. Both actors lift the film beyond a generic psychological thriller with a great deal of heart and humanity.
There is a point in the film where Ashgrove's tone and story changes. Because LaLonde has been leaving clues and details during the move to this point, this shift doesn't feel startling or sudden. Instead, the back half of Ashgrove is engaging and a reward for eagle-eyed viewers. However, where the film falls short is in its abrupt ending.
Up until the final scene, the film builds at a steady pace allowing audiences to absorb and process each new detail properly. But in the final minutes of dialogue, new information is quickly thrown in and a conclusion pops up in the blink of an eye. In contrast to the rest of the film, we aren't able to work through the emotions with the characters in those final moments, leaving things a touch unsatisfying.
That being said, Ashgrove is a clever and beautiful film that has a lot to say about our world today, the delicacy of human beings and human connections, as well as the pressure we knowingly place on ourselves to our detriment. The mystery elements of the film work well and, because of the poignancy of the themes raised, there are a lot of interesting questions and discussions to be had well after the screen fades to black.
(Northern Banner Releasing)In the not-too-distant-future, the world is ravaged by a water pandemic, which has already claimed the lives of 60 million people. Bacteria causing this virus are found in the world's drinking water, leading to "The Great Paradox": humans need water to survive, but too much water will cause their demise. We're told that the human species has 5 years before extinction, placing immense pressure on scientists to find a cure.
One of the brightest minds, Dr. Jennifer Ashgrove (Amanda Brugel), appears to be the closest to finding a cure, but is hampered by regular blackouts. After a particularly significant episode, Jennifer is ordered by her boss, Frank (Sugith Varughese), to take a weekend to reset and relax. Jennifer and her husband Jason (Jonas Chernick) drive out to the Ashgrove family farm for a couple days of canoeing, reading and general leisure. Jennifer invites her friend and colleague Elliot (Shawn Doyle) and his wife Sammy (Natalie Brown) to join them for dinner one evening.
Throughout the film, we experience the toll Jennifer's job has had on her marriage. Jennifer and Jason are virtual strangers to one another and have seemingly lost their spark. As the two attempt to reconnect over the weekend, there's an unsettling feeling that something isn't quite right.
At the heart of the film is a partnership falling apart causing great pain and heartache to both Jennifer and Jason. Brugel and Chernick have a real honesty in their dynamic — two people who know each other intimately, but have become outsiders to one another. The tension comes to a head in a great dinner scene between the two couples. Doyle in particular stands out, as his agitation noticeably grows throughout the evening.
In addition to Doyle, the entire cast is great. Brugel delivers an incredible performance as Jennifer, lending so much raw intensity that audiences can viscerally feel her frustrations and pain. As her counterbalance, Chernick convincingly offers the other side of their relationship coin as the neglected spouse whose own achievements and ambitions have been ignored. Both actors lift the film beyond a generic psychological thriller with a great deal of heart and humanity.
There is a point in the film where Ashgrove's tone and story changes. Because LaLonde has been leaving clues and details during the move to this point, this shift doesn't feel startling or sudden. Instead, the back half of Ashgrove is engaging and a reward for eagle-eyed viewers. However, where the film falls short is in its abrupt ending.
Up until the final scene, the film builds at a steady pace allowing audiences to absorb and process each new detail properly. But in the final minutes of dialogue, new information is quickly thrown in and a conclusion pops up in the blink of an eye. In contrast to the rest of the film, we aren't able to work through the emotions with the characters in those final moments, leaving things a touch unsatisfying.
That being said, Ashgrove is a clever and beautiful film that has a lot to say about our world today, the delicacy of human beings and human connections, as well as the pressure we knowingly place on ourselves to our detriment. The mystery elements of the film work well and, because of the poignancy of the themes raised, there are a lot of interesting questions and discussions to be had well after the screen fades to black.
