Victoria Mahoney directs her first feature film, Yelling to the Sky, centered on the life of seventeen year old, Sweetness O’Hara played by Zoe Kravitz.
With an abusive father who is in and out of her life, a mom suffering from a mental illness and a sister preoccupied with her own issues and taking care her new baby, Sweetness is left to fend for herself. She makes the decision to take control of her life, no matter what the costs.
Yelling to the Sky is a powerful, emotional film that takes a look at the harsh reality of a girl growing up in a neighbourhood of poverty and crime.
Zoe Kravitz gave an excellent performance in the film with the transition from the innocent, often bullied Sweetness O’Hara to the fearless girl spending her days getting into trouble.
Although, the gritty story isn’t for everyone, the story of the pain Sweetness experiences and the pain she in turn causes, is something everyone can relate to, just maybe not in the same degree.
Despite the fact, the viewer could connect with the character of Sweetness, it was difficult to feel sympathy for the other characters in the film. For example, the father’s decision to finally be a ‘father’ after the way he treated his family didn’t feel genuine. If the character had been further developed, the viewer may have felt differently.
There were also a few clichéd elements of the film, such as the neighbourhood bully, her involvement with drugs, and later losing her friend and mentor, the story was at times predictable.
Overall, however, the music of the film, the strong character of Sweetness O’Hara and the great performances given by the actors, most notably Zoe Kravitz, made for an enjoyable film. Director and screenwriter Victoria Mahoney did a great job with her first feature and her efforts should be applauded.
Trailer is below:
