Away From Here (2014)

Did you people see the same film I saw?

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Like so many of the films I watch these days, I came across this gem on my Amazon Fire TV. Let me say from the outset that this film is excellent. It challenges us to accept the most difficult of questions, can someone convicted of sexually assaulting a minor be redeemable as a person. The average American would most assuredly answer in the negative, as would most convicted men and women in prison who often treat these people as the lowest of the low. It also attacks, though indirectly, a second question: can children lie? This, of course, is question that is often left unanswered due to the problems it would create.That being said, this movie does a great job of showcasing life after prison for a convicted sex offender. The characters are well thought out, their reactions are stereotypical to the reactions most of us would have. The quality of acting is superb and each actor brings their character to life in a very real way. But as is the case with most films covering a controversial topic in American film, the editors often choose a quick, no mess ending rather than playing the film out in its most realistic format. Why not spend more time attacking our perceptions of sex offenders? Instead of having that moment where offender and victim finally come together, why is it that only the victim accepts that she wasn't a victim, but a willing participant? Why does the offender not further attack the position that the victim and her dad lied about what was happening? More importantly, the relationship the offender has with a coworker feels forced, inorganic. They quickly fall in love, she finds out he is a sex offender and has the stereotypical response but in the end she comes to his rescue and the flee the city together. I would rather watch a 2 to 2 1/2 hour film that attempts to answer these questions, as I would imagine the original script did, rather than the editor's version that strives for the typical American film happy ending. For the first half of the movie, I give it a 10, but for the second half I give it a 3 and I believe the strength of the first half, the characters and the acting it the whole film deserves an 8.

Politically, it's definitely controversial. That's perhaps the film's strongest point: that it'll get you thinking and talking about some important issues. It's not a bad little film at all.It is a "little" film. It has some of the same themes as a true classic like American Beauty. It's no classic, though. On the other hand, it's not easily forgettable, like most little films are.To avoid spoiling the movie, I'll try to create a good analogy. Imagine a father who gets "raped" in divorce court, losing custody of his children, even though he's a much better parent than his ex is. What if this father then kidnaps his kids, spirits them away to another state, and his kids get their pictures on "have you seen me?" milk cartons.Then imagine that the father gets arrested and charged with kidnapping. Yet the movie goes out of its way to paint him as the good guy, the innocent victim. That kind of movie would certainly anger a lot of people, wouldn't it? Hillary supporters would sure hate it.This movie isn't about divorce and custody rights. Instead, it's about an even more controversial theme, to the point where it's likely to anger Trump supporters as well. (The movie doesn't make conservative Christians look good at all.) So consider yourself warned. I like controversial movies like this, especially those which are a little ahead of their time.

The idea and the intend is good; the process of the film is not so convincing. The storyline is consistent but you have the feeling the director was trying too hard. Good as wake-up call, but a bit weak as movie. At least the main character is strong, by the way.The film's message is very good on the other hand: the devilish mechanism of the society and the law is painted good, the bigot position of the preacher should get everyone thinking. And the case is chosen well: not everything is black and white, there is much grey between. A society getting adult should come to accept that and grow there.

I am in a bit of a quandary with "Away From Here". When it comes to the technical merits of the film, it is well acted and very well made. But, on the other hand, I felt a bit angry as well as disturbed by what appears to be a plot that excuses sex offenses—at least one particular kind. Why would anyone want to make a film like this? And, who is the intended audience?!James (Nick Stahl) has just gotten out of prison. Slowly through the course of the film you learn why. When James was a youth minister at his church, he began a sexual relationship with a 15 year-old girl—and the girl ended up being the head preacher's daughter! However, James tells no one about this once he's released—including his boss and his new girlfriend. At the same time, he has kept the love letters the 15 wrote him six years ago—all of which go to show you that he isn't taking his recovery very seriously. However, the film clearly seems to indicate that the punishment he received for his behaviors was, at least in part, unjust. What's going to happen when this old sexual conquest (she's now married and 21) comes to see him? And, what is going to happen when his new girlfriend finds out he's a registered sex offender?As I said above, I just don't understand the point of this film. Is it trying to mitigate James' crime? Is the film trying to get you to like him? Is the film, in some convoluted way, trying to blame the girl's father for the sexual relationship? All the answers appeared to be yes to me—and that is what I found so irritating about the movie. To give you some background about myself, I used to be a trained psychotherapist who worked with, among others, quite a few convicted sex offenders as well as victims. The film's contention that it was a one-time occurrence, that he's cured and that you can somehow justify James' actions all concerned the crap out of me as I sat and watched. What part of 'he was an adult in a position of authority and she was a 15 year-old' am I missing?! And, had James been honest to his employer and girlfriend and tried to learn from his past, I really would have enjoyed the film—it could have been about growth and redemption. But given his secretive behavior and the now 21 year-old telling James it was all HER fault…I just can't recommend this film to anyone. It was well made but also promotes some very unsavory messages and addresses the problem in many of the worst ways. And, as a father of two daughters, the film made my skin crawl. Avoid this one.