An okay indie flick bolstered by a fantastic lead performance by comedienne Rachael Harris. Harris is probably best known for playing Ed Helms' wife in The Hangover, or perhaps for her appearances on The Daily Show or VH1's I Love the '70s/80s/whatever. One could never have predicted the depth she gives to her character here. She plays a sexless, Christian housewife whose husband (John Diehl) suffers from a stroke. It comes to light that, though he refuses to sleep with her, he frequents the local sperm bank. Harris feels betrayed, but her husband is at death's door, so she attempts to forgive him. He mutters, perhaps from delirium, that she needs to find a long lost son, and she sets out to find the young man. Matt O'Leary plays the drug addict she finds, and, attempting to escape the sheriff, he takes off with her on a road trip. O'Leary is quite good himself, but, again, it's Harris' movie. The film starts off a little snarky about the whole situation, but Harris takes her character's dilemma seriously and plays her as a woman in deep emotional turmoil. The film is a dramedy, and it's often very funny. But Harris' dramatic moments are the ones you're going to remember. She's a true revelation here, turning in one of the best performances of the year.
10 Reviews
labyrinth
Vincentiu22 December 2012
with many levels. and masks. because, at first sigh, it can be version of Transamerica or an usual indie. in fact, it is a touching story. about love, dreams, search of yourself and price of dreams. and its remarkable charm source is an impressive acting. exploration of character nuances, drawing of state of soul, full of adorable innocence drops. road-movie and map of transformation of two people, it is seductive discuss about life sense. so, not an ordinary movie. only a precise definition of atmosphere and wise broke of rules. a film who respires freedom. and who inspires. not moralistic but ironic. not extraordinary but interesting. not brilliant. only smart.
An Interesting Film on Religion and Relationships
JustCuriosity19 March 2011
Robbie Pickering had its World Premiere at SXSW where it was well-received and earned several awards. It is sort of an odd film about the struggles of damaged people. Natural Selection could be described as partially a critique of fundamentalist religion, part road trip film, and part human tragedy. It is the story of Linda who is trapped in a loveless marriage. She goes on a trip looking for one thing and discovers parts of herself that she didn't know existed. The script is well-written and the film is well-acted – especially considering this is the writer/director's first feature film. The film avoids easy answers or simple judgments to complex questions. The character development for the two main characters is nuanced and provocative. In the end, the audience may be left with more questions than answers. The film seeks intended as a critique of dogmatism, but offers the viewer little in the way of alternative answers to hang on to.
Quirky comedy with moving performances in this charming indie
ryan-m-hatcher22 March 2012
I was somewhat skeptical of the premise of this film (which you can read elsewhere) before I saw it. However, writer and director Robbie Pickering does a masterful job of bringing this original and surprisingly compelling story to life. His main characters are cut from starkly different backgrounds (fundamentalist Christian housewife and petty criminal/drug addict) to good comedic effect but each reveals a depth that is both genuine and touching as the story unfolds. I should also mention that the production is outstanding as well - from the pacing and the cinematography to the score. That's hardly a given for an independent film! Last but certainly not least, the acting is fantastic across the board. Rachael Harris especially shines in what I can honestly describe as an Oscar-worthy performance. I had no idea what a talent she is. I dare you to see this film and not be wildly impressed by her.
..what a film makes at the box office has little relation to its true worth
bjarias28 October 2014
The sign of a great actor is to make their performance appear so effortless and natural there is little doubt they completely reflect the person they portray. There are a couple of great performances in this movie, but the one by Rachael Harris.. bit.ly/13oKWjl .. is just off the charts. Natural Selection would not be a movie receiving a lot of mainstream recognition, and that's a shame, for it is an absolutely wonderful little film, featuring one of the finest performances you're likely to see in awhile... hats off to Rachael !! PS.. The film so impressed critic Roger Ebert that he showed the film at Ebertfest in 2011 and granted it three and a half out of four stars.
A great movie, that took me by surprise
loumiles-2556822 January 2017
natural selection - my friend picked this film to watch, and it looked like a slapstick comedy, luckily for me it wasn't. i was not familiar with the actors, but thought all the performances were excellent. this film has a lot of heart, its quirky, but not in a pretentious way. an excellent movie about love and relationships. i found the movie touching sad funny and never knew how the film would end, right up until the credits started to roll. i recommend this movie to just about everyone. if you track it down, grab it you maybe as surprised as i was. fantastic drama comedy, that is as good as any movie with the big budget and big stars.
Great film!
farron345 July 2013
Wow, I was pleasantly surprised by this film. I wasn't expecting much, and it held my attention and kept me engaged throughout. The characterization is quiet and powerful, and the writing is excellent. Not really predictable at all, which made it refreshing. A great, subtle blend of comedy and drama.
This is a very strong feature directorial debut for Pickering, who also wrote the film. (He has another film in pre-pro for release next year – I will most definitely make a note to see it). Very textured story, great writing, with lots of great metaphors and offers many poignant critiques of gray areas of culture, religion, and relationships. The acting, editing, and score are also excellent.
This is a very strong feature directorial debut for Pickering, who also wrote the film. (He has another film in pre-pro for release next year – I will most definitely make a note to see it). Very textured story, great writing, with lots of great metaphors and offers many poignant critiques of gray areas of culture, religion, and relationships. The acting, editing, and score are also excellent.
Great movie!!
andreagogek24 October 2019
A Sweet Surprise
GlenjaminX25 October 2019
I was more than surprised by this film. The performance of the two main characters was authentic and moving. Linda and Raymond were both desperate and lonely people yearning for human connection. The film takes us on a whirlwind trip through powerful, unexamined emotions. A few of the supporting characters were under developed, but did not seriously detract from the movie. I was moved by the power of this little film.
So glad to have stumbled upon this
mimirosen11 November 2019
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
