This is Home

THIS IS HOME is a short film about a family of budding alcoholics who don’t know it yet. This story was well told and unfortunately, probably a realistic view of many American families where alcohol is a shadowy temptation that slowly seeps into home life.

Bev and Todd are the parents to Kipp, and are a typical American family. Kipp, young and impressionable, is surrounded by his family’s growing alcohol abuse. After a day of drinking and few groceries in the home, his parents leave Kipp alone at home to go pickup ice cream and some staple groceries. But when a quick stop at the bar turns from one drink into many, Kipp makes the familiar calls to the bartender to see if his parents are there.

A cab driver delivers the spoilt groceries to the young boy who is home alone, and without supervision. Unpacking the supplies, he discovers a box of beer and proceeds to follow the example of his parents and get drunk. When his parents finally DRIVE HOME after their night of drinking and discover their young son sick from all the beer, they finally take a hard look at their lives and habits, and the example they are setting.

This film shows a loving film on the brink of being torn apart because of alcohol abuse. Not all moments are bad. A beautiful scene showing the family floating down a river is symbolic of how great family life can be, and what the boy longs for with his parents. However, there are also scenes that are far too familiar for families everywhere with the parents in a bar while their son is left to his own, and then they drive home under the influence. This story could easily be about drug addiction or any other vice, that traps families in the vicious circle of what addiction can create.

Will Hugo, who plays the role of Kipp, the couple’s son, should be considered for a BEST ACTOR UNDER THE AGE OF 18 award as his performance is natural and believable. He does a great job in this role and is a very relatable and smart character, and we never feel like we are watching an actor perform. It feels more like we are a fly on the wall, witnessing a tragedy in the making.

Megan Kelly and Sean Dooley who play Kipp’s mom and dad are also excellent in their roles, and it is easy to see how one bad decision can lead to another, and turn a family upside down. Audiences will sympathize with them and probably relate in one way or another with their story. In the end, they must make decisions about their relationship with alcohol for their family’s sake.

I feel like this is not just a simple little short film. It is a very important and meaningful piece that has the potential and power to change lives. Most drug addicts and alcoholics would agree that a person must reach bottom before recovery is possible. The question for this family is whether they have reached the bottom, or how far do they still have to go?

Congratulations to the cast and crew, as well as the director, for this wonderful and important, life-changing film.