Direct To DVD -- Country Remedy

I’m Anthony Thurber and welcome to my new column on Filmarcade.net. It’s the Direct to DVD column. This column will appear from time to time here or whenever I feel like it. It’s a column where I might have one, two, or three films reviewed at one time. I usually will not rant here, as I want spotlight the movies not me. What qualifies as a Direct to DVD release to me? Anything that’s distributed by a major company and has not played in my area. Enough with me, here’s my first review for this column.

Country Remedy
A.K.A: Simple Things
Year: 2008
Directors: Andrew C. Erin
Stars: Cameron Bancroft, Amber Benson, Bellamy Young
MPAA Rating: PG
Studio: Screen Media Films
Running Time: 102Mins
Review Rating: 2.5 Stars

Country Remedy follows the story of a big time workaholic doctor (Cameron Bancrofft) from Chicago who wants to get the job of a lifetime. In order for him to get this job, he must spend the summer in a little known town in North Carolina named Dunn’s Rock. He decides to move there with his ten-year old son, so he can advance his career. But he soon begins to realize that there is more important things in life than getting ahead in his profession as he is still hasn’t forgotten about the death of his wife and trying to reconnect with his son. Country Remedy has won the best picture at the 2007 Appalachian Film Festival and 2007 California Independent Film Festival.

Country Remedy is one of those hit or miss films where you enjoyed some parts and was bored at times too. Director Andrew C. Erin does for the most part a good job with the direction. Erin’s direction of the actors was mostly good. He got a good performance from his lead actor Cameron Bancroft, as he made his character interesting, even with the problems this screenplay has, which I’ll get too in a moment. Erin also does a good job capturing the scenery down in North Carolina. It was very scenic and beautifully filmed. Even thought, the screenplay wasn’t good there were a couple of things that I liked. Erin along with screenwriter Peter Ferland does a good job with the development of the main character and the problems that he’s going through. If they did everything else that’s required in a good screenplay then this would have been a good film.

There were problems with this screenplay. First I noticed was that the beginning felt like, it was rushed. It should have spend a little more time in Chicago getting to know the doctor's kid, as the character felt more like an secondary character instead of being one of the leads. Second, they really didn’t build up the dramatic moments, as it felt bland at times. It was like the moment was there unexpectedly. It was that for most of the film until the last fifteen minutes of the film. The film also at time felt like it was two different films, with the doctor in one film and his kid in the other film, as they didn’t spend enough time with the two together.

Country Remedy might be a passable film if you’re looking for a film that preaches values but if looking for an enjoyable family film then find something else for you and family would enjoy.

DVD Extras:

Deleted Scenes
Behind the Scenes