Tongue and cheek the whole way through, Natural Selection hit many high points. The entire cast was great,
and the overall complication of the film gave the story a nice flow. Natural Selection was a happy surprise.
Linda is a good Christian woman. She has been married to Abe for 25
years, but cannot have children. When Abe suffers from a stroke, Linda finds
out that he has an older son, Raymond. Linda decides to find Raymond and bring
him back to meet Abe. The story progresses as does Raymond and Linda's journey.
What director and writer Robbie Pickering has in this film is a
great story. It's part comedy and part drama. Linda is an easy character to
sympathize with and Raymond is likable as well. Rachael Harris and Matt O'Leary were well cast, not just for
their appearances, but also for how well they embodied their roles.
Furthermore, Linda is a female character that has her own power. She grows
throughout the film, and really it's more about her than anyone else.
In a film that follows a person's journey, it is important for the
scenes to make sense. We'd be watching Linda and Raymond interact, and then see
what was going on back at home with Abe and then be back to Linda and Raymond
again. It was a nice balance that kept the action going without losing any plot
point explanation.
Natural Selection is a
refreshing film that not only highlighted the story's importance, but also the
acting abilities of the entire cast. It doesn't make anything too sappy, or
self-righteous. In fact, it does the opposite. The audience is given room to
formulate their own opinions, which only adds to the success of the film.
All I can say is that Natural
Selection was clearly made with love. The amount of effort that went into
the film paid off. Natural Selection
will make an impact on you even after you've left the theater.
