Mile Zero

Heartfelt drama about a man coping with being shut out by his wife, and by extension his son. Very gritty, very real. Well acted by all, well executed by Andrew Currie, but like "Born on the 4th of July", not terribly uplifting.

Mile Zero is a film about male vulnerability. Michael Riley plays Derek, a psychologically brittle man who lets jealousy devour him, eventually pushing him to break the law. It's a family drama about a family gone wrong. Riley excels in his role, as does Connor Widdows, the young boy who plays Derek's son Wil. I could have used a little less of the home movie flashback scenes, but they did reinforce the sense of loss Derek was experiencing after his wife kicked him out of the house. It's heart wrenching stuff, and while you can't condone Derek's actions, Riley makes him human enough that the viewer can at least understand his behaviour.

This could have been a really great film if it wasn't for some bad acting and some slightly implausible plot twist. it takes on some pertinant issues like child care and tries to assimilate them into a coherent road movie, but somehow the principle characters aren't really believable. there's a good movie to be made about this subject, as things have changed so much since the days of _Alice doesn't live here anymore_ , but this isn't it.

nonetheless, it's a worthy attempt and it's good to see the subject being tackle from a sensitive males' perspective.

This was an incredible film, that stands alone as being one of the most honest films I have ever seen. It's powerful and brave performances made this film the gripping, sensitive and dark masterpiece that it is. Beautifully shot in BC, the cinematography was as compelling as the story. Mike Riley's portrayal of Derek, the father whose love has no boundaries, is riveting and profound and uncanny in it's honesty. Andrew Currie has created a personal, magnificant film that is all that and a bag of potato chips.

I saw `Mile Zero' twice and it moved me to tears both times. Near the beginning of the film, the main character and his wife get divorced and the wife moves on and the husband gets stuck in the past. His incredible love for his son and his complete devastation over the loss of their family unit drives him to whisk his son away to the desolate but beautiful rocky mountains. The journey that ensues is subtle, stunning, moving and well-crafted. I highly recommend this film!