Randy’s Canvas

Randy’s Canvas

When I started Voices from The Balcony, it was supposed to be a film site for all genres. However, due to time constraints, it has mostly become a horror site and that’s generally what I watch and get offered for review. So it’s nice when I can review something like RANDY’S CANVAS for a change.

Randy (Adam Carbone, ANOTHER TANGO) is a high functioning autistic. He lives with his brother Henry (Michael Emery, CORBIN NASH) and works as a janitor at a local art gallery. He likes his job and enjoys talking about art with Bob the security guard (John Petrella).

He’s also an aspiring artist. So when Bob sees his work, he hangs it in the gallery on impulse. Which gets them both fired but also gives Randy the opportunity to study under famous art teacher Professor Hausdorff (Richard Riehle, WEST OF HELL, BAD APPLES).

He also falls for fellow student Sienna (Marycarmen Lopez, TRAGEDY GIRLS). This is the first time he’s ever felt like this about anyone. Now he not only has to deal with new experience and higher education demands but also his feelings too. Cassie (Scout Taylor-Compton HALLOWEEN, GETAWAY) will help him sort them out but in the end he’ll have to find his own inner strength if he wants to succeed.

Director Sean Michael Beyer (RESURRECTION MARY) has taken what could easily have been drowned in sugar and clichés and made an enjoyably sweet film out of it. The key being that he and his co-writers didn’t make this a film about autism they made it about a young man given a chance to reach for his dreams. Having autism is just one of several issues he has to face.

The cast does well by their roles. Possibly because several of them have worked with Beyer before more than once in some cases. The thankfully avoid overplaying the film’s most melodramatic scenes. Emery especially shines as the supportive brother who’s hard to make his own sacrifices along the way.

Throw in some nice New England locations, (it was shot in and around Providence, RI), that had me feeling a bit homesick and RANDY’S CANVAS is a good choice for an afternoon’s watch.

Watch Randy’s Canvas For Free On Gomovies.