Unpacking

This movie is a rare treasure. Yes, I laughed and cried. It's reminiscent of "The Breakfast Club" - a group of archetypes together. We have the "aggressive progressive," the mom who's never taken the time to be her own person, the sexually-liberated one into crystals, the free-spirit and rules-follower sister duo, and the culture- appropriating yoga teacher. I'm a middle-aged woman (hence the John Huge reference) and I've been through many self-help rounds depicted here. It was cathartic to be able to laugh at them without feeling laughed at. Because what this film does incredibly well is show that we're all more complex than any caricature, and just trying to do the best we can. The cinematography and soundtrack are beautiful- but a warning to any fellow vertigo warriors that sometimes the quick camera movements can be triggering. I was very fortunate to see the directors/writers along with many cast members interviewed at the Independent Film Festival and was so inspired to learn about the movie's cooperative creative structure. Unpacking guides us, gently and without being preachy, towards a better way.