Cost of a Soul

Cost of a Soul is the Writing/Directing debut of Sean Kirkpatrick It’s also the winner of Rogue Pictures and AMC theaters big break challenge. This is a huge accomplishment, for a movie of this size to be released in 50 AMC theaters.

To hear the challenges of filming Cost of a Soul is almost as good as the movie itself. With no budget and just 18 days to film, Sean made a bold decision to not only shoot in Philidelphia but in one of the city’s roughest neighborhoods. With no money for security, it was the community’s belief in the story that Sean was telling, that allowed for a safe filming environment. Without the support of the locals, the set would not have been a safe environment, and the filming might never have happened. In fact there were four drug related murders that took place over the 18 day shoot.

The film tells the story of two vets upon their return home from Iraq. Tommy Donahue (Chris Kerson) and DD Davis (Will Blagrove), Tommy was a local street thug who ran away from his pregnant wife and problems to go to Iraq, Upon his return he is quickly thrown back into the life he left behind. On the other side of the coin is DD who went to war to escape the drug infested environment and have a better life. DD finds out that his older brother is now a local drug lord and his younger brother is about to follow in his footsteps which brings him back to the life he was trying to escape.

Cost of a Soul is a standout directorial debut able to convey a message while at the same time depicting a reality at home that is unflinching. The combination of a positive message juxtaposed against a grim reality with a healthy body count is a bold move for a first time director. Both Chris Kerson and Will Blagrove give polarizing performances. It is their performances that elevate the project to another level. Kerson and Blagrove both seized there opportunity and dug into their roles with such preparation, passion and enthusiasm that you don’t realize that this was filmed so quickly on a next to nothing budget.

A  throwback to 1940’s film Noire while at the same time putting a modern twist on it with a powerful message. It makes a person think  how important the decisions we make are and what a person is willing to sacrifice for the betterment of their family.

The only thing I didn’t like was a very pivotal scene where Mamma Davis is watching DD play the Sax in a club with her son James. James just leaves without her even noticing. This proves to be a costly oversight on her part, but as protective as she is of James it seems odd that she wouldn’t notice that her son has left. The same time that this is happening, a crucial scene takes place with Tommy, the sounds of Jazz just seemed out of place and distracting to me. I would have liked for this to have been a little different but it’s a small gripe in the scheme of the project.

Grade- 84