"Freedom Park" is one of the highest quality independent films I have seen in some time. It features good acting, an interesting premise and a well-written plot, but that's not what makes it great. "Freedom Park" does several things that a standard indy romp doesn't do. First, instead of going for shock value it strives for mainstream acceptance without sacrificing the emotional depth of the characters or the humorous elements. Second, the movie has heart. There are classic good guy/bad guy conflicts in the multiple intertwining plot arcs and you will find yourself rooting for the good guys more often than not, but you will also identify with the bad guys, who could so easily have been played as one-dimensional jerks but are instead endowed with depth and humor.
Andrea Ajemian, the female lead and producer of this film, has a gift for comedy and is just adorable to boot. Tim Fields and Matt MacDonald have a great charisma and chemistry that makes them extremely likable as the main characters. The child actors in this film are well cast and show a lot of emotional depth for their ages. Add in some great cameos by Red Sox announcer Jerry Remy and legend Louis Tiant and you have all the star power you need.
On limited release in Massachusetts, "Freedom Park" will hopefully be picked up for major distribution sometime soon and if nothing else released on DVD.
Go see it, take your kids, your parents, your friends and loved ones, you will not be disappointed.
