VIFF 2020 | "Flowers Of The Field" Has An Interesting Story That's Hampered By Slow Pacing
5/12 ForReel Score | 2/5 Stars
Imagine being so unhappy with who you are that you go to extreme lengths to recondition what you think and how you feel.
That’s the case for Aaron (Alexander Crowther), who is so ashamed of himself for his same sex attraction that he enrolls in a "regaining masculinity" program and retreat for men, lead by John Miller (Ryan Hollyman). John appears to be proficient at understanding the struggles of these men, but things take a turn when Aaron learns that John isn't as virtuous as he portrays himself to be, and the lessons Aaron learns in this program are very different from what he anticipated.
It’s a film that demonstrates how damaging it can be when an influencer abuses their power over people who come to them for help. Although Flowers of the Field is not as religiously motivated as other gay conversion therapy stories like Boy Erased, the psychological manipulation and distress remains egregious as men are taught how their lifestyles are in need of “redirection”, especially when a critical plot point is revealed midway though the film.
Flowers of the Field is slow - from story pacing to long winded shots to even Aaron’s demeanor. Everything that’s key to the movie takes its time, and that’s not always a bad thing. It often uses this quality as an opportunity for reflection or circumstance processing, like in scenes when Aaron is driving, or in a long take towards the end with Aaron reciting If- by Rudyard Kipling.
The slow nature of the film, though, can cripple its entertainment value. And because of that, I appreciated the premise of this movie more than I enjoyed the execution of it. Regardless, director Andrew Stanley shows a promising talent for filmmaking in this directorial debut and, with Flowers of the Field, leaves audiences with plenty to discuss after the story ends.
Acting and Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 0 | Reviewer's Preference - 0 | What does this mean?
Streaming on VIFF Connect for BC Residents until October 7:
