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    Sleeping Giant

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    The best word to describe “Sleeping Giant” is “authentic”. There aren’t any villains to defeat, no lost treasure to find, there’s not even a girl for the protagonist to romance. Does that mean it’s boring? Far from it. This coming-of-age story is completely unpredictable, at times heartbreaking and exciting in the way that only true life can be.

    Set in Thunder Bay, Ontario, “Sleeping Giant” follows three summertime friends: Adam (Jackson Martin), Nate (Nick Serino) and Riley (Reece Moffett.) The boys explore the wilderness, roughhouse on the beach, play at the arcade, commit petty crimes, discuss girls and admire the legendary 120-foot “Todd’s Cliff”, all in the name of fighting boredom.

    What I like about this movie is that it isn’t afraid to show people as they really are. The protagonists are teenagers. They’re not politically correct when they insult each other, they love vandalizing things just for the sake of destruction, they’re quick to judge anything they don’t immediately understand, they think they know everything there is to know about sex (despite all being virgins) and honestly, probably wouldn’t be hanging out together if it wasn’t for the fact that they’re the only boys their age in the area. A large chunk of the film follows them doing typical stupid teenager stuff so you’re tempted to comment how they show the worst people can be, but there’s more to them than just that. They can also be kind or sensitive, innocent or wise. Adam for example, you can tell that when his friends talk about all the dirty things they’d like to do to their mutual female friend Taylor (Katelyn McKerracher) he’s not enthusiastically chiming in because he doesn’t feel that way about her, but also about girls in general. I think everyone has friends like the ones in this film at one point. I know I did anyway. Kids that over compensate for their lack of experience in the adult world by turning into little monsters that try to be cool, but in reality only highlight how juvenile they really are. Maybe you’ll grow apart, maybe you’ll all grow up together to become wiser people but either way, they make a mark on your life.

    Everyone here is well written. No character is flat or unrealistic. Beneath the bad behaviour of Nate and Riley are layers of pain having to grow up without the adult supervision that children crave. Even Adam is no angel, frequently succumbing to peer pressure and using his status as a straight-arrow to get petty revenge. I feel that although you’re unlikely to have done exactly what these teens do in their unforgettable summer vacation that’s condensed in an 1 hr 29 minute running time, you’ve “been there”. You remember those months where your parents stopped being these mythical providers who had all the answers and you simultaneously figured out who you wanted to grow up into and that being cool isn’t the most important thing in the world.

    The performances in “Sleeping Giant” are very strong. The film is almost documentary-like in the dialogue, acting and in the way that it doesn’t shy from showing parents and friends being unintentionally cruel to each other through the use of snide remarks or off-hand comments. It resists all of the clichés in favour of the truth, painful as it might be. I highlighted the bad behaviour and the unsavoury bits of these children’s summer, but there’s also plenty of footage that could be cut together to highlight the very best parts of summer vacation when you were still in school.

    I can see “Sleeping Giant” being some people’s definitive “growing up” movie, the film that perfectly captures the past without smearing a big glob of translucent nostalgia to hide the warts. I didn’t want it to end so I actually found myself disappointed when the end credits started rolling. Is there a way I can see more of these characters? An extended cut or sequel maybe? There are a lot of strong moments and it’s also quite beautiful, with a terrific score. “Sleeping Giant” is a little film, but it deserves your attention. (Theatrical version on the big screen, May 14, 2016)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  16.5.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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