Jeri Jacquin
From director Joshua Caldwell and writer Stephen Camelio along with ArtImage Entertainment, August Point Productions and CKM Entertainment is the film MENDING THE LINE.
Colter (Sinqua Walls) has just experienced the destruction of war in Afghanistan and is now going through rehabilitation in a VA facility in Montana. Trying to gather himself into the man he once was is proving difficult. Under the care of Dr. Burke (Patricia Heaton), Colter makes it clear that he wants to return to military service.
Understanding that her patient needs something to help give him peace, she suggests he meet with Ike Fletcher (Brian Cox). Fletcher is a grumpy fly fisherman who has no use for modern technology of any kind and hates the nonsense that goes with being around a lot of people. The one person he can tolerate is long-time friend Harrison (Wes Studi).
The one thing the two men share in common is fly fishing. The graceful and quiet time becoming centered on one thing, the flowing river and fish in front of them. When Colter shows up at Fletcher’s door, he is not happy and makes it very clear. When Fletcher comes around a bit, he tells Colter to sober up and do recon on fly fishing.
That sends Colter to the library where he meets Lucy (Perry Mattfeld), a librarian who has issues and trauma as well. Giving the soldier books on fly fishing, he becomes intrigued but not so much when Fletcher has him stocking shelves and doing errands around his fishing business. There is a moment when Colter lets it be known he has had enough – Fletcher takes him to the river.
It is at the river that the two men find a connection in the beauty and flow of the water.
Walls as Colter is a man who had enduring the physical and emotional trauma of war. Trying to find peace has been difficult, especially every time he deals with the struggle of physical therapy, it reminds him of everything. Walls gives the performance every gambit of emotion one would expect of a soldier returning from hell. He has tender moments that seep its way in until the truth character of Colter becomes truly clear.
Cox as Fletcher has a reputation of being such a consummate actor playing some of the grumpiest characters that I’d personally never want to mess with. My favorite currently is that of Logan Roy in the hit series SUCESSION. In this film, his grumpiness is based in the same mire that Colter finds himself in. It is only in the river that Fletcher finds moments of peace and now he is sharing that with another who needs it desperately. Well done Mr. Cox, well done.
Mattfeld as Lucy is a librarian dealing with her own trauma of losing someone to war. Meeting Colter sort of sets off a bit of standoffishness but the more she learns about the soldier, the softer she becomes wanting to help him find the peace she is also searching for.
Studi as Harrison is the one man who doesn’t tolerate much from Fletcher. He pushes for his friend to help Colter and makes a deal that kind of goes wrong – but ends up being very right. It is good to see Studi on screen again.
Heaton as Dr. Burke knows that her patient is not even close to being ready to return to active duty. Knowing that she has one last chance to reach Colter, she turns to a friend who can understand what is possible for them both. I like Heaton’s choice of role and it is well done.
Other cast include Irene Bedard as Mrs. Redcloud, Julian Works as Ram, Chris Galust as Kovacs, Michaela Sasner as Ruth, Pressly Coker as Blitz, Gabriel Clark as Blitz Dad, Tristan Thompson as McDowell, Phaedra Nielson as Martha and Josef Patterson as Death Star.
The film is the Official Selection of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Official Selection of the Port Townsend Film Festival, Official Selection of Telluride, Official Selection of IF4, Official Selection of The 41st Northwest Filmmakers Festival, People’s Choice Award at Banff Mountain Film Festival and Peoples Choice Winner of the 5 Point Film Festival.
MENDING THE LINE is a story of faith, hope, pain, suffering, humanity and the peace that comes with a river. The relationship between Colter and Fletcher starts out with hardness because each is protecting their own traumas. The only way that works is if the façade on the outside is tough with sharp edges.
In the case of both men, it is understandable but it also stops them from being a part of the larger world. Fletcher knows this to be true since he has been escaping it the longest but there is something about Colter that intrigues the elder warrior. There is a coming together that begins to happen and it is based on the simplest of things that life has to offer.
I truly enjoy the film and it is because of Cox and Walls, two fine actors who clearly embraced their characters and found the best and worse both had within themselves. The healing that happens is truly moving to see on the screen.
In the end – their healing is on the fly!
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