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| Images Courtesy of Good Deed Entertainment |
Films about
eating disorders are exceptionally rare, and even more so are films that not
only explore the disease but those who do so with a unique and fresh
approach. Robert McCaskill's feature film, Hungry tackles the
difficult subject matter by way of a High School wrestling coach who not only
struggles with his own demons, but those of his friends, family, and
students. A mature screenplay with gut wrenching emotion, a devoted cast,
and quickfire editing combine to create a memorable, if somewhat languid fever
dream about the perils of addiction and the cost of not admitting its
power over oneself.
Manish is the
coach of a wrestling team who is also in recovery for being a binge eater in
his high school days. Now, having become obsessed with his
appearance, Manish struggles professionally and personally as his newly created
prison of binging and purging is starting to bleed over into other aspects of
his life. McCaskill co-wrote the script with Peter Gil-Sheridan.
While budget constraints limited a lot of aspects (such as the actual
wrestling), one of the most striking parts is the dialogue. It is clear
that the writers spent time among addicts and that translates into a feeling of
genuine empathy. Amar Srivastava stars as Amar and this is very much his
picture. He gives a haunted performance as a man who struggles to find
peace while trying to find redemption. One of the most realistic pieces
is in how Amar's journey is so organic: hopeful, yet tragic, happy, yet
eternally sad.
The pristine imagery provided by Christopher L. Lind's cinematography frames
the world of Hungry as a place of open spaces, perhaps to simulate
Amar's ever-present fear that he might become big enough to fill them if he
does not control himself. Flashback scenes layer this concept together
with Benjamin Murray's editing, done with such alacrity that past and present
seem to merge into one truth, the truth of Amar and while devastating, it does
look to the future with a sense of growth and promise, given form by
Srivastava's absolute dedication to the role.
Now available on digital on demand, Hungry is not anything new. It
takes it time, meandering through relationships, sexual encounters, and
addiction meetings, allowing the viewer to spend enough time in Manish's
headspace to care about his future. While there is no real climax or revelations
to be find, there is a message of healing that is undeniable and that alone
makes this a worthwhile experience.
--Kyle Jonathan