Low Tide Review

September 26, 2019 at 2:48am
By Jason Stettner

This is an intimate tale that follows a group of boys as they deal with summer on the Jersey Shore. Things aren’t good for them, and they break into houses trying to loot any goods they can get their hands on. After the police get involved, alliances are drawn and two brothers cut themselves off. This is due to a combination of fear, and that fact that they’ve come across a treasure during their last expedition.

This may sound like a lot, but it really is just the general premise of what to expect. The film largely explores the dynamics of this secret and its effect. It also factors in the elements of the group being young, and therefore easily divided. Peter (Jaeden Martell) and Alan (Keean Johnson) are the core brothers, with Red (Alex Neustaedter) being the wildcard in the group. There’s also a very snappy additional individual in the group, and that’s an interesting element that’s at play.

This narrative really does focus on being something that’s to the point. It brings a sense of danger and general light hearted moments as well. There are certainly some darker segments, though overall it’s fine. I did find that the pacing was a bit rushed in some parts, certain aspects of the story wrapped up too quickly.

This is well shot, with some great moments that were calmer in their nature. It was clever in how certain things were presented, and while it’s not mysterious, the tension is well done. You feel the sense of danger that’s presenting itself to these young boys as they fight off pressures and try to keep their small fortune a secret.

There’s also a romantic subplot going on, but the main emotional aspects are presented within the bond of the brothers. This is a fairly straight forward experience, but I generally enjoyed it. It’s a good standalone tale that doesn’t spread itself too far out, and keeps the action focused on the core group. There are some laughs, good banter and it paints an interesting picture of this desolate vacation town.

The Conclusion

Low Tide is a well done film presenting an interesting look at youth, and bringing a neat take on trying to keep one’s treasure close. It’s an intimate tale, and it focuses on a small group which works well for it. Some of the plot points were a bit rushed, but they did wrap things up for the most part. I wish they would have fleshed some parts out further as things wrapped up quickly in some spots, but it’s not a huge deal.

This really did look good visually, capturing the desolation of the area quite well. It felt like a lowly vacation town, and that helped drive home the details as to why these kids felt a pressure to do what they did. I particularly thought the break in scenes were well done, a good use of light and danger. That’s another great element, it seemed like there was a sense of fear from the kids as they dealt with bad situations and pushed forward.

Low Tide Review at Theater with Standard Viewing during Calgary Film Festival
Screening Provided by Calgary Film

Rating Overall: 7.6