This is Martin Bonner - friendship can be found in unusual places

Although in many ways, a fairly simple film, it's hard to get over how different This is Martin Bonner felt.  It tells the story of Martin Bonner, an Australian man with an American family, who has moved to Reno after divorcing who still has regular phone contact with his daughter who has recently had a child, but less so with his artist son.  He seemingly knows no-one bar colleagues at his work and works as a volunteer manager for a church scheme to help people leaving prison.  In many ways he has been cut off from the world, but he will not let it get away from him, and finds his own ways to build connections.  Eventually, he builds a friendship of sorts with Travis Holloway who has just been released following a prison sentence for manslaughter after a drink driving crash.

Because in conventional storytelling, drama comes from conflict, it is rare you come across a drama where no-one is a bad person, even for the sake of driving the plot.  The characters in This is Martin Bonner aren't the most charming, or the funniest, or the sweetest people you will meet on film, but they feel genuine and real. They may not have the answers or be totally in control of their lives, but they are trying to do their best and make sense of the world in the best way they can.

Paul Eenhoorn is terrific as Martin and gets excellent support from the rest of the cast.  He doesn't always say that much and plays the character quietly, but you soon feel like you've known him for years.  It really feels like the film is showing characters as how we hopefully see the people we like in our lives - as complex people, who mean well and want to help out when they can, who are trying their best, sometimes getting things wrong, but not malicious.  Whereas many films judge their characters or mock them, this film gives everyone the benefit of the doubt and it therefore connects on a much more interesting emotional level. This maybe makes it sound like it's a cheesy or happy clappy film; in fact the tone is quite sombre, but not without humour.   It is emotionally real and fulfilling, with a refreshing, warm and truthful world view.

The film was shot for a really small budget, partly funded by Kickstarter, and kudos to those who spotted it and put their money in, as it was really money well spent.  It uses Reno, a city I know virtually nothing about, fantastically as a location, making it both an unknown and anonymous town and one that feels like somewhere with real communities. It has a great sense of humour and whilst recognising life is serious, doesn't take it too seriously.  I am really interested to see what director Chad Hartigan does next and hope he continues to bring us the world on these terms.