A film that deals with the father/son relationship, the need for family, and how tough war can be on everyone.
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This is a different type of film that takes audiences to the small town of O’Hare around the 1930s. Here lives a boy named Pepper and his dad. Pepper and his dad have a strong bond and are the best of friends. They do everything together and although life is not rich for them, they are on top of the world and anything seems possible when they hang out.
But things change when Peppers’ dad is called away to fight in World War II. He has no idea where his dad is going or when he will come back, or for that matter if he is ever going to come back at all. Thus the journey begins for Pepper, and it will be one full of hope, faith, and self discovery.
I had an opportunity to interview Michael Rapaport and Jakob Salvati, and here are their thoughts on this hot new film:
So Micheal, What made you want to be a part of this movie?
“I really enjoy the father/son relationship aspect. I have two sons of my own, and I grew up with my own father around the time this film takes place. It was great to get to work with Jakob and have a chance to depict this relationship and how harsh the war was to everyone involved. It is also a great script, the director has a good reputation and has all of the right ingredients to be a wonderful movie.”
What was the toughest thing about bringing this character to vivid life?
“It was a challenge sometimes to bring the heavy emotion, it was easy at first but after doing so many takes and in different angles it became hard to keep the energy going. Jakob found it hard too. Finding the emotional well to make it genuine and getting to that place again and again, it can play around with your soul. After a while it took a bit out of you and became draining emotionally.?
Jakob, what was the greatest part about playing the main character?
“I felt like the center of attention, and I was very fortunate to get the role. The set was used for other things and the cast and the people were just great. I was honored to get a chance to work for a lot of great people.”
This movie has a stellar cast that all bring something important to the table. The soundtrack fits in the era perfectly and will easily take viewers back to a time when life was simpler, and also to a tough time in American history. But the best part of this film is the hope and faith entrenched into the story. Pepper refuses to give up on his dad, no matter how often people tell him too. His love for his father is so strong he is willing to do anything to bring him back no matter how crazy it may seem to people. This boy is a great image of unconditional love, and can teach all of us a few things about it.
Because of all of these things, this film gets an 8/10. It is slow at a few points, but overall is exciting and has some moments when things seem grim. It is definitely not a film people should miss.
If you are looking for a film to see with your son, this is the film for you. If you want to see a great drama, this is a film you will want to see. It has some violence in it, but an amount I would say teens could handle, but kids should not see it alone. It is a film that has a lot of potential and one that has the rare qualities to hopefully help it stand the test of time.
Watch the Trailer Below: