LORELEI Review – Modern Single Mom Drama Resonates with Truth

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Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film

Published on Friday, 26 November 2021 15:59

Written by Janet Walker

LORELEI, from Vertical Entertainment, brings to the screen the story of an American casualty, which resonates in communities around the country in the form of lost dreams, destructive behaviors, little hope and very few second chances.

The film opens in the pacific northwest, although it could be any town, at a biker's rally. The camera pans the crowd engaging in what the majority of the population believe is expected behavior, heavy drinking, and unrestrained sexual abandonment.

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The next morning, an extremely hung-over man is dropped off at the church and greeting by the Pastor, played by Trish Egan, a female minister who provides a halfway house to felons, and as we find out offers various support to the community through food programs and single parent support groups.

The next day, Wayland, played by Pablo Schreiber, is trying to work his way back into society after spending 15 years for armed robbery. He meets his parole officer, and of course, as with any attempt to reintegrate into society, he is stopped by people who knew him when. Hoping to stay out and not become a turnstile cliché, he meets up with his family who help him get a job.

Mopping the floor of the church, the singles mothers are arriving, and he sees a familiar face, he pauses and waits, until she looks up and the two make eye contact. In minutes after the meeting is over, we find out that Delores, played by Jena Malone and Wayland were high school sweethearts.

For Wayland is has been 15 long years, and for Delores, it has been 15 hard years as a single mother with three children. It isn't long after the two find each other that Wayland has moved into her house and we experience the chaos of life.

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Wayland moves in with the chaotic family and becomes a reluctant yet much-needed father figure. Struggling to pay the bills, he finds himself drawn back to his old ways as Dolores yearns for her pre-motherhood dream of living in Los Angeles.

We also understand the dreams that they shared as teens, running off to LA, watching the sun come up, and understand they shared magical moments in their youth before life became complicated, with responsibilities and worse.

For Wayland, an instant family on a convict's salary, is demeaning and for Delores, her days as a motel maid are dehumanizing. Each hoping for a break, something anything that will change their circumstance. Wayland decides to make a run for the biker club, and Delores decides to make a run for it in a desperate hail Mary attempt to live her dream.

Suddenly Wayland is left with three children, a family, and is forced to make practical decisions about the three lives that were entrusted to him and his own.

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LORELEI resonates with truth. It is a heartbreaking story of life for millions, as dreams are shattered by derailments, either by poor choices and wrong decisions or others who are able to squeeze you to death, and all that is left is memories of when.

Billed as working-class fable about a biker, a mermaid, and three shades of blue LORELEI is a story of heartache and hope, of love and hate, a the present and the past and above all hope.

The cast deliver strong, resonating performances and the audiences rides the wave of the emotional damage, and loss. We hope with them as they search. With three of the main characters children, one would say it would be easy to be upstaged by them, however the entire cast deliver authentic, genuine performances.

LORELEI has played at select film festivals. See it if possible.

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Country: USA.

Runtime: 110minutes.

Release date:

Director: Sabrina Doyle.     

Writer: Sabrina Doyle.    

Producers: Kevin Chinoy, Jennifer Radzikowski, Francesca Silvestri.

Cast:  Jena Malone, Pablo Schreiber, Trish Egan, Chancellor Perry, Amelia Borgerding, Rowan Ryan, Lynn Sher.