Light From Light: A Haunting Drama That Lingers Like A Body Of Smoke
Writer/director Paul Harrill follows up his 2014 feature film debut, Something, Anything, with an equally understated and intimate offering. Backed by Executive Producer David Lowery (A Ghost Story, The Old Man & a Gun) and Producer (and actress extraordinaire) Elisabeth Moss, Light from Light spins a compelling and profound character-driven drama about a paranormal investigation that may (or may not) involve a ghost. Full of elusive mystery, this muted stunner will haunt you in ways you won’t likely suspect.
Gifted with sometimes-prophetic dreams and a lifelong interest in the paranormal, Shelia (Marin Ireland) is asked to investigate a potential haunting at a Tennessee farmhouse. It's there she meets Richard (Jim Gaffigan), a recent widower who believes his wife may still be with him. The investigation that ensues — which eventually pulls in Shelia's son, Owen (Josh Wiggins), and his classmate Lucy (Atheena Frizzell) — forces them to confront the mysteries of their own lives.
If you’re looking for jump scares and abject terror, it’s safe to say that Light from Light is not the film for you. Though its story centers around a potentially haunted house, it’s the farthest thing from a horror film. Eschewing what another filmmaker would undoubtedly shoehorn full of tired genre tropes, Harril churns his intimate ghost story into a refreshingly potent meditation on loss, the invisibility of faith, and the human desire to make sense of things that defy explanation and are beyond our grasp.
Beautifully written and economical at every turn, Harrill uses the film’s two principle plots — Shelia’s paranormal investigation, and a sub-plot about Owen and Lucy’s developing relationship — to reinforce the film’s central theme: the mystery of how we should live our lives when we will always have incomplete knowledge. Loss permeates the narrative in tangible and intangible ways; Richard is grappling with the loss of his wife, who perished in a private plane crash and may (or may not) be trying to communicate with him from beyond the grave; Sheila is wrestling with the possibility of losing her son to college; and Owen has no faith that he and his girlfriend can survive a long-distance relationship once she leaves for college (He asks, “What’s the point of getting together, if you already know it’s going to end?”). Owen’s sentiments mirror that of his mother’s and Richard’s, and all threads come to a head in a quietly profound manner that courses and reverberates with genuine emotion.
(L to R) Atheena Frizzell and Josh Wiggins in a scene from Paul Harrill's "Light From Light." Courtesy of Grasshopper Film.
The film deals heavily with things that can be felt but are otherwise unseen and invisible, and so Harrill appropriately steeps his ethereal drama in a sense of quietude that often speaks louder and resonates harder than any line of dialogue — although there’s some powerful lines embedded throughout the film as well. There’s a lot of space for emotions to fully form, engulf its characters, and aerate without becoming banal or superfluous. This allows the performers to convey a lot of information through their facial expression and body language exclusively. Although the spaces in-between dialogue and conversations drape over every character, it really shines through the best in Marin Ireland and Jim Gaffigan. Each gives a rich, complex, moving, and nuanced performance, and the scenes between the two of them etch the high water mark of this modest gem. Gaffigan in particular shines the brightest, and his portrayal of a grieving widower is both heartfelt and tragic. He’s ventured far from his comedic roots, and he shows he has the chops to be taken seriously in somber dramas.
In Light from Light, when a character speaks, it always relates (obtusely or acutely) to the narrative and its themes, and as the narrative progresses, we learn more and more about our characters, of which feel three-dimensional and real. It’s not quick push to its conclusion, delivering an 80-minute slow burn with little to no action (which will likely be an issue for some). Things happen, but the actions themselves aren’t exciting or particularly thrilling. However, it’s in how Harrill works these elements and pieces with the story that cause you to lean in. This is a testament to Harrill’s ability as a writer, who’s crafted something that should be as seen and discussed as Lulu Wang’s The Farewell (which is equally as understated, quietly profound, and fairly simplistic w/r/t style).
(L to R) Marin Ireland and Jim Gaffigan in a scene from Paul Harrill's "Light From Light." Courtesy of Grasshopper Film.
Harrill presents the film with very stripped down and simple direction, comprised of mainly static shots (mostly mediums and wides with a few close-ups), which are broken up by the occasional panning motion. This allows the viewer to focus on the story and its characters; a flashier style would obscure the film’s mysterious qualities, making them feel more engineered and less natural or real. The film also makes use of a restrictive aspect ratio — similar to A Ghost Story’s 1.33:1, only without the rounded corners — which reinforces the fact that life (for the living) is front and center but consistently surrounded by an unseen force (symbolized by the vertical black bars). The film is also full with really lovely cinematography from Greta Zozula, which take full advantage of Tennessee’s tree-covered and fog-torn landscape — an eye-catching image that is tangible and terrestrial but shrouded in an eerie veil of the supernatural.
There’s a quiet beauty and a little magic in this soft and elusive drama with light supernatural flourishes. Harrill and company know that profundity comes not from providing answers but asking questions, and Light from Light gives every viewer something meaty to mull over. It has the power to instill a sense of enchanted wonder to the world around us, causing you to potentially question and reflect on the invisible forces that may (or may not) cover us.
Recommendation: If you’re a patient viewer looking for a different kind of ghost story, definitely check this out. If you’re looking for something full or action or scares, look elsewhere (but just know you’re missing out).
Rating: 4 mysterious happenings outta 5
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!