directed by:
Matthew Engelbert written by: Matthew Engelbert, Joely Engelbert, Phoebe Engelbert genre: Drama |
You can feel the weight of this film right away. As young Clara tries to navigate her childhood, it’s clear that it hasn’t been easy. With a mom who had to go away to get help for her depression, a sister (Ruby) who needs her more than ever, and a father who has passed on, “What Tomorrow Brings” displays a complex array of complications within the first ten minutes. Clara’s life is not going to be easy; her family is falling apart, and she’s forced to become stronger than she is supposed to be, well ahead of schedule. We meet Clara trying to journal her way out of her feelings, struggling to write about the obstacles she’s been faced with. “I’ve handled stress forever,” she says, and you can see that instantly. Whether it’s the troubles in her band, or troubles with her relationship with Noah, or the many troubles that she deals with at home, you have to both admire and feel for Clara. Most adults wouldn’t be able to handle all that she’s been going through.
If you’re the oldest of your own siblings, you’ll probably really find yourself relating to Clara & how much responsibility she has to take on. You can tell how sad this family is as you watch “What Tomorrow Brings,” but you’ll see an extraordinary amount of resilience in Clara as she tries to battle back the turmoil, just doing her best to smile. Watching her care for her sister Ruby is a beautiful thing, but at the same time, we can see from the outside looking in that she’s barely holding it together. Ruby seems to be like the crown jewel of the family…innocent, naïve, and yet, she too is wise beyond her years. One of the scariest things you’ll see in “What Tomorrow Brings” is that Ruby is already old enough to start figuring out what’s going on around her, and that no matter what Clara does, they’re both going to grow up way too fast. The concept of children having to keep up appearances is a sad reality that we know so many go through, but there’s so little any of us can do about it from the outside. Any barrier, or dam, is only so resistant to the forces that push against it…and they’re more often likely to break than not. So it’s only natural that when you’re watching this movie, you’re going to feel that pit in your stomach form quickly, because no matter how much they’ve already been through, there’s still further for them to fall. So, as you might have noticed, these kids are basically alone. Clara is doing her best to fill in for her mom and care for all of Ruby’s needs, but we’re well aware that her experience is limited. It’s inspiring and heartwarming to see the way they care for each other. Despite that shroud of emotional weight that never seems to leave the screen as we watch “What Tomorrow Brings,” there’s so much heart packed into this film at the same time that you have to appreciate the tiny victories and few moments they have along the way to just be the kids that they actually are. You feel for them, because those moments are so far and few between. Clara and Ruby are speeding towards adulthood with no ability to stop what’s happening to them. They just adapt and adapt and adapt, no matter what comes at them – but they do it together, despite the odds. When you see the power go out at their home one night, you really start to understand just how much is being asked of them and how impossible it would be for a kid to handle. Clara is supposed to know that she needs to contact the electric company, how to pay the bills & turn their circumstances around – and somehow do it all without Ruby catching on to what’s happening? What happens when the money runs out? What happens if child protective services comes around and tries to separate them? What happens if they can’t even do the basics, like stay warm? The two sisters need help, and it’s gutting that no matter where they turn next, they don’t get enough of it. While it will eventually show that “What Tomorrow Brings” is Joely Engelbert’s early work in the grand scheme of things as she continues into her career - and we look back at it all in hindsight years later, she should be more than commended for what she’s accomplished in leading this film at such a young age. I thought she did a fantastic job when it comes right down to it, and considering how much of this film rides squarely on her shoulders, she should be proud of her performance. She’s highly capable of conveying a range of emotions with sincerity, and after watching “What Tomorrow Brings,” I have no doubt that if she continues to focus as intently as she has been on being an actor, she’ll establish herself in the entertainment industry quickly. I have the feeling we’ll all be seeing a lot more of Joely as the years go on – you can see the determination she has to get this part of Clara as right as can be, and while she still has room to evolve & refine her craft as anyone would at her age, she reveals all the hallmarks of the kind of commitment and focus genuinely required to make it in the movie business.
The younger one ain’t bad either! Phoebe Engelbert (Ruby) holds her own as well, and in many scenes has the whole movie revolving around her, just as the world of Clara and her family does. Spoiler alert – one of the many reasons that these two work together so well has a lot to do with that last name you see…as in, yes, they’re sisters in real life too. I mean heck, they tell writers to write about what they know, so the same theory applying to actors playing the roles they’re accustomed to has to be a wise choice too, right? In any event, the acting across the board was consistent from the entire cast, but it’s also fair to say that it’s the youngest members of “What Tomorrow Brings” that make this as special and meaningful as it is. Lindsay (Grace Bydalek) plays a significant role as a family support worker who is able to connect with the two young kids and help give them the guidance that we all can see they need. This gets DARK. With about a third of the movie to go, there’s a plot twist that we can essentially see coming from the get-go, but still hits us hard when it happens. Writer/Director Matthew Engelbert (as in, Dad to Phoebe and Joely) didn’t hold back when it came to the details in “What Tomorrow Brings,” and ultimately, asked so much of his daughters in playing their respective roles amidst such mature content & subject matter. That’s the thing though…and that’s the point – situations like what you see Ruby and Clara go through HAPPEN on this planet, and people fall through the cracks of society and the system all the time. So, for as extreme and extraordinary as it seems like what these young kids are going through, make no mistake, Matthew’s competent direction & writing, in tandem with the acting from the young Engelberts, has preserved the realism a drama like this needs to make its impact on us. The whole film tugs at your heartstrings the entire time; it truly does. If you had managed to make it without shedding a tear through the bulk of this film, trust me when I tell ya, hearing Ruby’s perspective on her family towards the end is going to be enough to shatter you beyond repair. “What Tomorrow Brings” is way more daring than you might even realize at first, because it’s made in such a remarkably accessible way. It’s a movie about the strength of family & friends, and it’s made by family & friends. So while there are plenty of scenes that’ll have you feeling the tears welling up at the corners of your eyes, there’s so much to love about this story & the way this movie has been made that despite the darkness, you can’t help but smile at the same time…because it’s going to be okay. No matter what gets thrown at us in life, no matter what we go through, things are going to be okay…sometimes you’ve just gotta weather the storm. If Clara and Ruby can find their way, there’s hope for all of us. I’m giving “What Tomorrow Brings” a well-deserved four stars out of five – this is a family Drama done right. It’s unafraid to dig into some extremely real sadness in order to show the unbreakable resilience in the human spirit. |
|
|
More To Check Out.
|
