The first and very well-known signification of natural selection comes to mind when you read the title of this film - of course, natural selection, the process by which biologic traits become more or less common in a population due to consistent effects upon the survival or reproduction of their bearers, a key mechanism of evolution. However, that's not it. Showed at the Egyptian theater - sorry if that's the one place I've been naming a lot lately, but it's convenient to see films there and the room is quite nice -, I am talking about NATURAL SELECTION, a pretty interesting drama/comedy around the whole "sperm donor/ finding your parents or biological children" (I hope you remember THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT right now) genre.
Directed by Robbie Pikering, a young filmmaker born and raised in Texas who graduated from the very famous Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, this film is the story of Linda, a Christian housewife whose husband is found unconscious in a sperm donor clinic one morning. When she finds out about this - she and her husband haven't had sex for 25 years because she's sterile and the husband considers having sex without the idea of procreation a sin -, she decides to find the biological son of her dying husband, and to bring him back to his bedside. However, when she arrives in front of the house of a 24 year old junkie and starts the journey back with him, things get a little complicated...
It is an impressive first feature - the script is well constructed, you don't get bored, all the elements of a good drama/comedy are there. Even if I found it a bit predictable at time, I quite enjoyed it. The main actress, Rachael Harris (from THE HANGOVER among other works), is incredible, and the final part of the film - more dramatic and centered on her character's emotions and situation - entirely relies on her perfect performance. Some moments were too much - including the very bruised face of Raymond - but it is still a good film found in SXSW. It actually won various Awards there - Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Music - I know right, THAT'S A LOT !
(And just so you know: I've been pretty impressed by all the first features I've seen and that are showing at SIFF this year - to quote only a few: BELLE EPINE by R.Zlotowski, EVERY SONG IS ABOUT ME by J. Trueba, JESS + MOSS by C.Jeter, LOVE LIKE POISON by K. Quillevere - and I am fascinated by all the talent out there and the fresh faces ready to keep on making wonderful films - I'm done congratulating those, but a word had to be said.)
MJ.
