I met Bomber's brilliantly witty writer and director Paul Cotter at the Anchorage International Film Festival's grand opening gala last night at the Beartooth Theaterpub. It was immediately evident that if that man was able to find talent to work with him, his natural tale-telling abilities would carry the storyline through.
Fortunately for all of us, Cotter was able to convince the wonderfully understated Benjamin Whitrow to play the graying Alistar. Whitrow shines in his ability to project so much dialogue in so few words. Most of the pivot point truths in this film rest on Whitrow's bowed shoulders, and he takes us on Alistar's internal journey with great finesse.
Shane Taylor takes on their struggling son, Ross, an overeducated commercial painter who apparently has missed his calling in vocation. Taylor's strong performance as the catalyst opens up some of the films more surprisingly raw moments that blur the boundary of what is pulled from Cotter's personal experience vs. what is pulled from his imagination.
Shot on location, using civilians as extras, the film reads as real as a travelogue. Rick Siegel moves the story forward with small steps; capturing a bouncing basketball, a four-legged whisper making its way past the shadow of a car at night, and even a well placed mooing cow (God must really love Siegel to give him such a gimmie shot) to keep the energy flowing when the camera isn't moving.It was difficult to tell what Norman Elliot enjoyed more, watching Bomber or bantering with Paul Cotter. The audience at the Beartooth seemed pressed by the same conflict during the after-movie Q & A. With great expectation we look forward to seeing what he is bringing us next.
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