A movie that explores the growth of a budding relationship between two young women set in small-town Oklahoma in the 1960s, ending with an obvious conclusion.
The 1960s was a different time in heartland America. This film, showcased at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, demonstrates a bit of that charm while exploring the hard, harsh bits that many movies that focus on the period gloss over. In it, we meet two girls, one from small-town Oklahoma and the other a recent migrant from a more metropolitan place in Kansas. Together, these opposites form a strong relationship with each other, leading to the obvious climactic ending. At the end of this movie, we feel a bittersweet longing for a connection that died before it was born.
One of the running themes that To The Stars explores is discontented women. In every corner of this small town in Oklahoma, we discover women whose enjoyment of life has been curtailed by circumstances beyond their control. However, this theme is juxtaposed perfectly with the backdrop of the prairie. It taps into the feeling of nostalgia that permeates the film from start to finish. Through the entire movie, you're drawn along by a looming confrontation, but you're not sure who the participants will be and where it'll leave the protagonists. To The Stars is a profound film that explores themes that are well hidden through the start of the film, only to dawn in realization later down at how well it was set up.
Our story begins with Iris Deerborne, a high-school girl with a bladder problem, making her the social pariah of the town's teens. Within the first few moments of the film, we also get introduced to Maggie Richmond, the one responsible for changing Iris' outlook. Through the film, we witness the growing friendship (and eventually more) between the girls as well as Iris' rise through the social ranks and eventual fall because of impropriety. The script does an excellent job of keeping the big reveal for as late as possible, and wraps the story in many layers of familiarity, making it easy to believe. When you combine the setting and the story, it feels like something that could actually happen. In this realism mixed with the nostalgia that the music and scenery evoke, you get a story that's pretty unique in its telling.
The cast contains a lot of unfamiliar names, which is unsurprising since this is a Sundance Film Festival entry and not a blockbuster film release. Kara Hayward stars as Iris, and she makes the role her own, filling the look and feel of a small-town farm girl down to the coy looks and shy demeanor. Liana Liberto plays Maggie, and it's here that the first cracks in the casting begin to show. Liana is excellent at her facial expressions, but her delivery comes across as standoffish sometimes - the complete opposite of what her character is supposed to be. Supporting cast members like Iris's dad (Shea Whigham), alcoholic mom (Jordan Spiro), and the local "queen of popularity, Clarissa Dell (Madisen Beatty) all do well in their roles and portray their characters with poise and class. For the most part, the cast fits their roles, and the supporting cast does a great job of keeping the continuity throughout the film.
While the movie is impressive visually, it can be tough to slog through the dialog. Character-to-character discussion is sometimes throwaway, doing nothing to build the personality of the character or progress the plot. While these inane exchanges wouldn't be too bad in a scenario that is more action-centric, it serves to take away from the film by injecting too much wordiness into a plot that doesn't need it. The pointless dialog also adds about twenty minutes to a half-hour of run time to the film easily. However, what it lacks in those respects, it makes up for in the scene where we witness actual character building going on. The growth in the relationship between Iris and Maggie isn't rushed and feels well-weighted for the content matter. If anything, this brilliance in the development of their relationship saves this category for me.
The film tugs at your heartstrings and spends a long time building your emotional investment in the characters to have a triumphant climax. The composition of the film is one of its high points, as it successfully blends nostalgic backdrops with a message that's probably two decades ahead of the setting. It's an exciting take on the subject matter. To The Stars seems to hinge on the adage that it's more about the journey than the destination. You might not thoroughly enjoy the conclusion, but half the fun was getting there.
To The Stars is a charming tale, but that said, it isn't for everyone. If your usual fare is summer blockbusters at the multiplex, you'd [probably want to give this a hard pass. If you're not a fan of exploring deep concepts or comfortable with stories about human sexuality, then you'd also want to avoid this one. If you're partial to a good story with deep characters and aren't too turned off by weighty, useless dialog, then you'd enjoy To The Stars. It is an artsy production, but on that lands the right punches in the right places.
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