Rebuilding

We all read about the trials and tribulations endured by the survivors of natural disasters, but rarely do we get to witness what it’s like to go through them on a daily basis. Moreover, it’s even rarer to see such happenings movingly portrayed on the big screen. Which is what helps to make this second feature outing from writer-director Max Walker-Silverman not only a fine piece of filmmaking, but also such an unexpectedly touching cinematic experience. When Colorado cowboy Dusty Fraser (Josh O’Connor) loses virtually everything in a wildfire, he’s left to pick up the pieces as he faces an uncertain future. The ranch that has been in his family for generations is decimated, leaving him with just the land on which it stood. But, given the scorched earth left in the disaster’s wake, it’s essentially going to be a decade before the land can once again realistically be used as a working property. So, as he assesses his options financially and logistically, the unassuming, soft-spoken rancher moves into a FEMA camp and takes a job as a road construction worker, but that’s not what he wants nor who he is. At the same time, he also attempts to rebuild his fractured relationship with his young daughter, Callie-Rose (Lily LaTorre), who lives with Dusty’s ex-wife, Ruby (Meghann Fahy), her new partner, Robbie (Sam Engbring), and her doting grandmother, Bess (Amy Madigan). It’s a full plate for Dusty to deal with, conditions that might easily overwhelm most of us, especially when hope seems like a rare commodity. However, through this ordeal, Dusty discovers an unexpected support network to help him get past his challenges and setbacks. This includes not only his ex-wife and mother-in-law, but also the new “family” he finds among his neighbors in the FEMA camp, most notably a recently widowed young mother, Mila (Independent Spirit Award nominee Kali Reis), and her daughter, Lucy (Zeilyanna Martiniez), who becomes Callie-Rose’s new bestie. The result is a heartwarming tale of people reaching out to help one another in a spirit of compassion and fellowship, the kind of moving, uplifting story we can all use more of these days. While the narrative might arguably come across as somewhat formulaic (perhaps even a bit predictable), it nevertheless feels real throughout, never manipulative, phony or the least bit forced. Those qualities are bolstered by the fine performances of the capably assembled cast (especially LaTorre in a noteworthy supporting role), the picture’s gorgeous depictions of the Western landscape and the film’s stirring score. Regrettably, cynical viewers might find this release a little on the corny side, but, considering how genuine this one feels (more so than I ever anticipated going in), that sense of authenticity shows just how badly we need a story like this in today’s trying times. “Rebuilding” has flown somewhat under the radar thus far, but it’s a film that deserves an audience, a picture that fills us with the kind of inspiration and goodwill that we could use both during this festive season and all throughout the year.