Plot
Tyler had it all… a loving partner, a thriving business, and close friends. However a drug problem ended all that, and he landed on the streets as one of the many unhoused people on the streets of Los Angeles.
When a Doberman rescues him one night from an attack, the dog and he become quickly acquainted – and the world which turned up its nose at him, now sees him again.
When he befriends a local dog groomer, Scarlett – she sees him for who he can be, and gives him his first taste at redemption.
Direction
Directed by JD Hale, from a script he wrote following instances he found empowering through his time living in Los Angeles, and from his own lived experiences with those close to him.
There is some terrific use of lighting at times, especially showing how bright Tyler’s future ‘could be’ despite his predicament. I also loved the angles’ from Angel’s POV, and the colour palettes that show his visual look into the world.
Cast
JD Hale took the role of Tyler himself, as there is such a transformation of what the character goes through, he felt he could only do it justice. There are two different looks that Tyler has, both his ‘past’ life where he is cleanly shaven, hair tidy and clean – and the ‘unkempt’ look of a man who has spent time on the streets. Hale grew out his hair, beard and fingernails all while driving for Uber to finance the film. He is so convincing here, that I genuinely thought these were two different actors!
Scarlet is played by Lindsay Shaw, who is the one who sees what Tyler is capable of. She brilliant in the role, showing both empathy towards Tyler’s predicament, while having a solid grasp of the authority that she has over the situation as well.
Angel is played by Ares, who was actually JD’s mothers dog (and has sadly passed since making – RIP)
David DeLuise plays Kirby – the owner of the business that is assisting Tyler. While he only appears in the last arc of the film, he gives the film some comedic moments as well as some heartfelt moments that will truly leave you feeling all the feels!
Some other cast of importance are Elissa Kapneck as Sally – one of Scarlett’s co-workers, Marques Buford as E, one of the unhoused men Tyler interacts with.
Breakdown
We meet Tyler, the protagonist of the story as he has found himself to be of the unhoused in Los Angeles. We don’t know the how or the why to start, but through a series of flashbacks throughout – we discover that he found himself addicted to drugs, and because of this, lost his business, his loving partner and friends and family.
It should be noted that the “two” Tyler’s were filmed months apart, as the film lost finance half way through shooting, and thankfully a good friendship between JD Hale saved the production.
Tyler is shown to be an almost ‘dreg’ on society. People look down on him, show him apathy, and in one case, even as a prop in “viral” video two influencers pretend to help with.
Early in the film, he has encounters with a Doberman, that is seemingly on the streets as well. When it saves him from an attack, the pair seemingly become bonded – having chosen one another. Tyler names him Angel, as he is seemingly his guardian angel.
Once this occurs, people start treating him with kindness, almost as if the love for animals supersedes the love people have for each other.
Tyler then befriends a small group within a local dog groomer, who offer him dog food as ‘payment’ for helping out around the store. They all take time to bond with Tyler, but instantly bond with Angel. As the weeks go on, the group come closer together, and Tyler finds solace for the first time in years.
With as much heart, there is also some slight comedic moments, like when the stores owner Kirby discovers that Tyler has been ‘working’ – without the correct documents. When his entire team stand up to him, and say “if Tyler goes, we go”… to which you imagine the boss will ‘have a heart’ – but instead fires them all… thankfully Tyler walks out and saves their jobs…
Thankfully of course he does come around and then gives Tyler one of the best narrative uplifts I’ve seen in movies recently. I just wish there was more of him, and I imagine due to the budgets of Independent films – getting David DeLuise longer would have been a challenge. But what he brings, he brings tenfold.
As animal movies go, the narrative arc that Angel goes through, includes a cancer scare – and considering he was played by JD’s mothers actual dog gives the sense that they knew each other prior to this.
There is also a quite heartbreaking epilogue in the final parts of the film (it was almost going to be the feature image – but that would give it away)… as well as the revelation that Ares has passed on too…. RIP sweet Angel.
The tender score by Rory Laws adds to overall product.
Overall
A wonderfully written film that shows the true beauty in the world, and how empathy is lost in today’s modern world.
The character of Tyler, and the situation he is faced could happen to any one of us, and his journey back to retribution – with the help of his animal is done brilliantly.
A high recommend! Worth of it’s above 9.5 IMDB score!
4.5/5
Thankfully I was able to chat to JD Hale the director on many aspects of this film, please check out my YouTube channel where Anthony and I chat to him.
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