Film Review: BRAVE THE DARK (2023): Damian Harris’ Moving Film from Angel Studios Maintains the Viewer’s Interest Throughout

Brave the Dark Review

Brave the Dark (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Damian Harris, written by Dale G. Bradley, Lynn Robertson Hay and Damian Harris and starring Jared Harris, Nicholas Hamilton, Sasha Bhasin, Martin Jarvis, Johnath Davis, Jamie Harris, Will Price, Tobias Segal, Scottie DiGiacomo, Shannon Destiny Ryan, Banks Quinney, Elise Hudson, Gwyneth Anne Trumbore, Kimberly S. Fairbanks, Meredith Sullivan, Brandon Miles and Searra Sawka.

Damian Harris directed Brave the Dark, a touching and well-written drama from Angel Studios about a high school student whose teacher helps him get through some devastating difficulties. That student, Nathan Williams (Nicholas Hamilton) has everything going for him or so it seems. He has a kind girlfriend named Tina (well played by Sasha Bhasin) and a group of loyal friends, but things spiral out of control when Nathan participates in an act of property theft with this pack of friends which ends up getting Nathan in trouble with the law. He refuses to give up his accomplices to the authorities which further complicates the situation.

Nathan’s teacher, Stan Deen (Jared Harris), rewards him for his work one day with a Hershey’s chocolate bar but little does he know that Nathan hasn’t had much to eat recently. In fact, Nathan is homeless and participates in a competitive sport at school just so he can take regular showers. Deen sees Nathan needs a lot of help to escape a bad future and Deen actually tries to be there for Nathan the best way he can.

Stan Deen wanted to be an actor in his life but failed at it and now also teaches acting at the school. He finds that Nathan has a lot of potential but because of the young man’s involvement with the wrong people, Nathan now finds himself likely to face legal actions unless Deen can help him. Deen originally wanted to be the next “James Dean,” but it seems he may have a more important purpose in his life – to help Nathan get his life back on track before it’s too late.

Brave the Dark is a powerful story that doesn’t sugarcoat its premise at all. Deen may seem to be too good to be true but he’s flawed like many ordinary people are and Deen understands Nathan’s attempts to fit in and succeed in his life after a drastic situation occurred when Nathan was a child. What actually happened in Nathan’s life will shock the viewer, but the events that transpired in Nathan’s past could potentially help the character understand his true calling when he arrives at a crossroads in his life at an age much younger than was expected. Deen and Nathan form a powerful bond throughout the movie that will definitely intrigue the viewer through a series of touching scenes.

This film doesn’t offer easy answers to complicated problems. For example, when Tina must break up with Nathan for his volatile behavior, there’s no turning back. Nathan made some bad choices and must live with the consequences. It’s not just Tina’s dad that requests Nathan stay away from her, Tina makes the same, request too. It’s up to Nathan if he can try to understand the advice that Deen gives him that would help him improve his life significantly. Nathan’s family is located and, eventually, turns over custody of the young man to Deen as the plot continues.

Jared Harris is nearly perfect in this role. Deen offers a kind shoulder for Nathan to lean on, but will Nathan continue to exhibit rebellious behavior because of his troubled past? Deen tries to offer hope to Nathan and the results will move the audience significantly. Harris adds dignity to his role that makes his character totally relatable. Deen helps Nathan out of the goodness of his heart, but it takes a long time for Nathan to understand that. Hamilton is excellent as the troubled youth who may just have another shot at happiness if he can just straighten up and fly right under Deen’s guidance. Hamilton goes through a wide range of emotions quite effectively.

Angel Studios usually makes very good films. This studio is most well known for the hit, Sound of Freedom, but have had smaller films released that were equally as powerful. This new movie has a lot of heart and a lot of depth. I liked the way the plot unfolded with the character development being the driving force of the story. I wanted to see Nathan happier by the film’s conclusion, but it’s easy to see that things will not work out so easily for him given the complexity of his past. He needs to stand up on his own two feet with confidence and Deen helps make that happen for him.

Brave the Dark is a film that is well worth seeking out. While the flashback scenes are heavy, they shed light on why Nathan ended up falling in with the wrong crowd. This film is a moving human journey that proves that people are willing to help those in need when they take the time to understand the particulars in certain unfair situations. Damian Harris’ direction, surprisingly, rarely hits a false note. There’s an inspirational quality to this picture that makes it rise above the rest of similarly themed movies.

Rating: 7/10

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