Life Tracker

I guess I will never learn to be careful of highly rated movies with not a substantial amount of votes. This film had 81 votes and a 8.0 rating. If you like the plot to consist of much talking and little else then this is the film for you. The idea is so intriguing and there was so much more that could of been done that it's a shame the filmmaker did not take advantage and make a more interesting and compelling film. I have to admit that an hour was all I could take and my frustration got the better of me, but it didn't seem to me that the film was going to utilize the main idea to make a better film. The one critic who wrote about the film mentioned that it was a sci-fi mumblecore. This is obviously a low budget film, but still so much more could have been accomplished here. It's a shame and a missed opportunity.

We found "Life Tracker" via On Demand's sci-fi selection of new releases. This movie has a synopsis that is intriguing: if your genes could predict your future, would you want to know? It is an original idea, with believable actors, and a surprise conflict (even to those desensitized and/ or jaded...) that kept my interest until the bitter end. I am not typically a fan of "found footage" movies, but I forgot about the filming style as it was deeply incorporated into the plot of the movie. Genetic reading is not such a far-fetched idea. Genetic research and it's scientific credibility has grown to be a powerful tool in medical and forensic fields. It seems to be the key to everything. The characters in this film are relatable and gripping. We watch their initial jovial disposition (regarding the genetic readings) shift into a tenacious and frightened need to know.

~Mary Ann @grabdmama and Shannon @feralthundercat

I am generally quite tolerant of independent .

I don't mind lack of effects and other limits from small budgets.

But this film is an insult to the viewer in every respect.

The writing is utterly unforgivable. Not only is the dialog a childish string of inane clichés, overall story is so full of massive plot holes, that suspension of disbelief is impossible for anyone with an IQ above that of a hamster.

And really what is with these "actors"? Seriously, unknowns are fine, but abjectly untalented isn't necessary. There are plenty of unknowns with lots of training and talent that can be had for free. There was no reason to use people who could not act their way out of a paper bag.

And to the director: have your actors do something other than shouting and mumbling. OK? Yeah, you got no budget, so "documentary style" eg hand-held because you can't rent equipment or locations is OK. But you don't need to jutter the viewers, zoom and pan like someone who has never used a camera to emphasize that! Skip this film.

I was impressed be the " real people " feel to the characters. I could really relate to them. Maybe it was the director's use of new talent, with a few tried and truly talented familiar actors in the mix, but it really worked. The genetic theory was very believable. I think I even heard on the radio somewhere a doctor is very close or already has found a gene along these lines. It seemed a little slow at 1st, but caught my attention quick, and kept it all the way to the end. I would like to see more from Joe McClean. Even if you sort of guessed what was coming, it was really a "wow" feel to it. I will tell my friends about this one. I would also say watch it for yourself, well worth it.

This movie was quite dry, and very self defacing for the first 15 minutes or so at least. You have to get past that, and it is difficult because of the painfully bland character you experience first, and the way no one ever seems to treat him very nicely is not easy to watch either. However all of that is there for a reason it would appear. You need to feel really bad for this guy just so that when things get to the ultimate fun of the movie, which is when they get the first readings back from a licensed Life Tracker reader.

Once the first reads begin you start to understand that this movie is more than a 1 camera piece of bad steady cam crap,(because they continually upgrade equipment as the movie is made) but rather a much deeper story, that had to start out broke, because you have to have somewhere to call a bottom if you are ever going to make it to the top right? So I don't want to spoil the fun of this story for anyone, I just want you to know that getting through the first half of the movie will pay off for you with an original story, and some very good acting as the protagonists each learn new things they had not been expecting.

Honestly I am not sure if the casting selections were the best, but I think that the Director did get the best performances from each of the actors, even if I personally would have gone with a different line up.

You will enjoy this movie though, that I can say for certain, you will start to care about people who at the start of the film seem like the type of people you would not want to know, but fate, and time do as they must.

Enjoy, and be well.

Jesse of www.jesse.ca