Approaching Midnight (2013)

Best movie ever!

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

There is an utter brilliance that thrusts this movie into a favorite of mine. I thought that this film had an intriguing story that reflected on positive messages with redemption. The fact that the filmmakers donated their theatrical proceeds to charity via the American Legion was really heartwarming. I discovered this film from the article on the The American Legion national website. I missed the premiere in Houston at the American Legion National Convention, but as someone who knows many veterans I can say that the details in the uniforms were great. The cinematography from Carl Ballou was enthralling and kept you very motivated with the characters as their stories progressed. I really enjoyed the relationship between Wesley Kent and his sister Jordan. The tension in his home front return sequence is just utter beauty in both structure, acting, and photography. I can really feel the domestic issues that were left undone and the time that passed between them when they first see each other again. The horse ranch is a wonderful backdrop in rural reality for this to unfold between the characters. It was almost like the Horseranch represents Wesley wanting to run wild and free, while also needing to take care of the rest of the herd. So many great images and great acting performances, from Sam Logan Khaleghi (Batman v Superman), Michelle Lynne Balser (Five Year Engagement), Dean Teaser (Ghost Town) and Jeff Stetson (Librarian Dialogues) as well as Carollette Phillips (It Follows) who's scenes as the grieving widow of a fallen soldier were handled with such care. The film magnified the heart of the everyday hero, and was a solid watch.

It was difficult to watch this movie. The script concept was weak and not very original. This same plot has been done before going all the way back to the 1970's with returning vets discovering corruption back home. The dialog is trite and uncomfortable, often without any attempt at an authentic southern accent on the part of the actors. The camera work shows no creativity or careful thought. at times it looked as if they just set it up anywhere and just shot. But by far the editing is the worst of the lot. The scenes often hold on something unimportant (like a door) as if something else will happen, and then nothing does. Cuts within scenes often make little sense and we are left confused by the choices. When you put this all together you end up with a story you know could have been told better, characters that you don't really care about, and in the end you realize the whole thing was a complete waste of time.

Approaching Midnight is captivating. I know there's been review's about the films' love stories but I think beyond the romance, the film was actually a splendid cat and mouse political thriller. Centered on a political game between a crooked mayor and an returning Army soldier who decides that he must protect his country from a local threat. The film to me was about a hero whose stakes are triggered by the events that lead up to each moment he comes across in previous scenes. From the passing of his friends to the expansion of new relationships, this film is just a brilliant film, moment to moment, it's Hitchcock like quiz with a military angle in it. I can't really review the DVD though, because I caught this film in a theater in Kentucky.

In Approaching Midnight, Sam Logan plays a 20 something special forces/ranger approved All American, and there's a scene that at a critical point that sums up this whole film and it's ambitions and thats when Wesley Kent (Sam Logan) comes back from the war and has to return his best friends locker room things to his widow (Carollette Phillips). I just rented this on the new releases at one of Nashville's last remaining video stories LOL. First off, I couldn't wait for the RedBox so it was an adventure, I saw the trailer on television and I had to just rush to the store to get it. I'm a country girl and I love Jana Kramer, her characters part in this movie is so sweet and heartwarming with her love for Wesley (Sam Logan). The opening scene is a really heartfelt date scene between the characters that sets up the whole drama of the rest of the movie. Toward the end of the film it thematically all comes back to the opening scene in an interesting way. There is a giant courtroom battle that flashes back to Jana's character Aspen. Aside from the plot of the film, the DVD itself is perfect and I enjoyed it slightly more than Heart of the Country's DVD (another movie with Jana) because Approaching Midnight's DVD does have a lot more special features with Jana in it, for example a Jana Kramer video journal in the making of, where she takes you on a tour of the set and there's fun moments with other cast members. The horseback riding scenes were so splendid, I love how they re-created a perfect country atmosphere. The filmmakers and production designers did such a good job, and the film could take place almost anywhere, that's why as they say this film could "play in peoria."