Better Days

Presented by Reel Alternatives Huntsville in partnership with Algonquin Theatre.

“Better Days”

April 29th at 7:00pm
$10 tickets online or at the door

In this comedy from writer/director Joan Carr-Wiggin, newly widowed Kate (Sonja Smits) must start over after losing her husband of over 30 years.

Broken by the loss, Kate withdraws into a bottle of vodka—and her husband’s Halloween costumes. Feeling lost and alone, she soon befriends three local teenagers who are fascinated by her enthusiasm for dressing up. But, as she and her new friends bond, Kate’s family become increasingly concerned. Suddenly, Kate doesn’t seem like the woman they once knew and they begin to demand that things go back to ‘normal’, whatever that means.

Better Days is a fascinating blend of contradictions that seamlessly blend together. In some moments, Days is irreverent, dark and genuinely hilarious. In others, it’s contemplative with a furious soul. Even so, this constant pivot between tones somehow feels… honest.

But much of the success of these Days is due to a remarkable performance by Smits as the grieving Kate. By leaning into the madness of the moment, Smits is absolutely on fire from beginning to end. This is a film that delves into the chaos of grief and, as a result, requires a chaotic performance but she knows exactly when to hit the right notes. (In fact, the most stable moments of the film come as Kate speaks directly to the camera. Here, she’s able to clearly communicate her feelings, as though we are the only ones who are truly willing to listen to her heart.)

While her feelings take on many forms, Kate’s struggle to survive her grief is far more than simply trying to cope with the sadness over her husband’s death. Instead, Days is as much about revival as it is about mourning. As she processes the overwhelming nature of her feelings, she starts to figure out what it means to begin again. Because, maybe, there actually are Better Days ahead. (Excerpts from Screenfish)