The Fits

I found this movie on Amazon streaming. The premise seems interesting and some reviews made it seem worthwhile.

When it was over I was totally underwhelmed. An 11-yr-old girl is training to be a boxer and she decides to join the school dance team. In the midst of all this girls at times pass out, for no apparent reason. The best part of the movie is at the very end when the dance team, in pretty uniforms, are doing a routine in the drained and dry Olympic size swimming pool.

When you have an independent, artsy movie like this it must have very particular meaning to the filmmaker, but if the movie fails to convey that meaning to the viewer then it is not really a success. This one is not a success, at least not in my viewing of it. Now I wish I had skipped it.

This brief feature film debut from Anna Rose Holmer is among the most interesting and enjoyable independent films of 2016. At first, the film was a bit slow and didn't seem to be going anymore, but once the plot kicked in I was very pleased. After watching the entire film, I am grateful for the slow build up because of its moodiness and great introduction to the characters and setting. The only reason the slow moving atmosphere is a flaw in my eyes is because I thought that the whole film was going to be that plot less, and that, in the end, it would have had no climax, conflict, etc. But it does have a climax, and it does have a conflict. At its core, the film is a powerful little tale about fitting in. Its charming, beautifully filmed, and at times ingeniously unsettling.

The only real flaw was how wooden some of the child actors were. At times, certain performances kind of ruined the film's realistic vibe.However, the characters were likable and their struggles were well executed and written enough for these performances not to completely ruin the experience. But, other than that this was a really impressive little film debut that really has me believing that this first time filmmaker will be going places!

This mysterious and intriguing indie will probably only appeal to a certain slice of viewer, especially those that don't need the plot elements of a film to all fit neatly together. I usually like my movies to have decent resolutions to any questions raised, but this movie kept me interested throughout its sparse 1 hr. and 12 min. time frame.

Royalty Hightower is exceptional in her starring role here as 11-year- old Toni, who's training for boxing at a Cincinnati community center with her older brother Jermaine (De'Sean Minor), who is employed there. When Toni sees an acclaimed dance team training at the center she joins them, but has trouble fitting in due her her shyness. She will eventually bond with another new young dancer Beezy, very ably played by Alexis Nesblett.

Soon however, things become very strange, as several of the older girls begin to get seizure-like symptoms, labeled "the fits". No one can seem to find the cause of these fits, and this causes chaos amongst the dance team.

Overall, this film's strengths are the natural acting of the cast and its very creepy atmospherics. However, don't expect any character development or entire resolutions to the plot machinations. Also, I would say Anna Rose Holmer, who is making her major motion picture debut as writer and director, shows good promise here, and I'd certainly be interested in seeing what else she brings to the screen.

I always find it somewhat of a shame when a movie that has everything going for it falls flat on its face. That's what happens in "The Fits". The description here on IMDb properly describes the movie. Unfortunately the movie itself does little more to take it beyond that description.

The directing and acting is excellent, especially by lead actor Royalty Hightower. She is not alone, backed up by some excellent casting for the parts of her best friend and her brother.

Were this a simple slice-of-life movie it would be acceptable and interesting. But it doesn't qualify as such. It takes the viewer down a specific road of semi-realistic insight into the life of a black adolescent girl, then throws that all out the window with what can only be described as a plunge into script-writing and directing self-indulgence. I always wonder how so many people can be involved in creating a work like this without someone stepping up and saying, "Hey, has anyone noticed the plot line stinks?" At the end, the viewer is left asking, "What was that supposed to be all about?". The result is a mixture of enjoyment, shock and disappointment as we realize yet another movie with potential has been flippantly cast to the canines.

Yes, pun intended. You'll need some humor after watching this.

Independent Director Anna Rose Holmer (Producer of Jody Lee Lipes' "Ballet 422"), along with writer Saela Davis, present a female coming of age project filled with few words, yet provocative in meaning and intention. The cast is filled with real life youth Cincinnati drill team members, featuring strong raw performances by Toni (Royalty Hightower), her cool brother Donte (Antonio A.B. Grant Jr.), and the lovable Breezy (Alexis Noblest), all who are trying to find their way in a society that has forgotten about them. Because dialogue is at a minimum here, with individual performances driving the film and dialogue delivery at times amateur, the viewing audience must make what they will out of the vague storyline presented. Unfortunately, this lazy-faire direction by Holmer leaves the film with spurts of boredom. However, when the viewing experience is over, one can't help but want to speak to someone about what was just presented. Is "The Fits" about the desire to fit in, the epidemic currently playing out in Flint Michigan, about bonding at all costs, or something completely else? While the film may be garnering a lot of attention, I heard more "C" ratings than "A" ratings at the screening I attended (including mine), and many film attendees (again including myself) were left with more questions than the film answered.