My Good Man's Gone

Nick Citton’s low key dramedy feels all too familiar. Two siblings, Joni and Wes Carver, travel from Los Angeles to the tiny town of Story, Arkansas, when their estranged father passes away. While there, they make new friends, push each other to their emotional breaking points, and perhaps discover a new approach to life. It feels like a mainstay of the American indie scene, complete with quirky townsfolk, repressed emotional baggage revealed through unsurprising plot twists, and a heartfelt, bittersweet ending.

The Vancouver International Film Festival is just around the corner, to the delight of cinephiles who didn’t get their fill with TIFF. But with over 350 films, it can be overwhelming trying to sift through the dross and find films that will resonate with you, surprise you, and most importantly, have lasting impact past the festival.