Heartland: Little Brother

Jake Duffy has been tasked by his father to pickup his brother Pete, and return him to Seattle following a suicide attempt

For Heartland Film Festival schedule and tickets, please click here.

TLDR Review:  Jake Duffy has been tasked by his father to pickup his brother Pete, and return him to Seattle following a suicide attempt.  This drama is gut-wrenching and relatable for those who have ever dealt with a family member struggling with mental health issues. 4/5 Yaps

Disclaimer/Trigger Warning: This film deals with themes of suicide and self-harm that may be difficult for those to watch who have struggled with mental health issues themselves or close, loved ones.

Full Review: Jake Duffy (Daniel Diemer) is sent across the country by his father Warren (J.K. Simmons) to pick-up his brother who recently discharged from a hospital, against medical advice, following a suicide attempt.  Warren’s logic is that Jake has a better relationship with his brother Pete (Phillip Ettinger), and may be able to better convince him to return home to Seattle to seek treatment and receive the help that he needs.

For anyone who has first-hand experience with the struggles of mental health and depression, it is no easy undertaking.  This is a very delicate matter, and one that people often struggle with in the dark or by themselves.  As a mental health professional myself, it’s rather uncomfortable to watch Jake, a “regular” guy who may not have the therapy skills or know-how to say to handle such matters, by himself.  The Duffy’s family goal is relatable: ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their loved one.

For Pete, who has struggled with substance use and mental health issues throughout his life, he is rather disappointed that he was unsuccessful at his most recent attempt.  Jake’s uneasiness about the trip, and his motives for bringing his brother back to Seattle are unknown to Pete from the start of the trip.

Conversations between the pair and meetings with people on their road trip provide important family history and highlight the family’s lifelong struggles with mental health.  One of their chance encounters is with a lady named Mary (Natsuko Ohama), a widow, who says, “We are who we pretend to be,” is a subtle reminder that “happiness” can often be a façade.  

This film has great imagery, dialogue, and character development.  I wish that we could have had more of J.K. Simmons, who quarterbacks the entire trip via phone conversations with Jake.  Despite this critique, allowing the two brothers to share a majority of the screen-time allows for us to reflect on their relationship and individual growth. 

This film is a digital screener, and will not have a show time during the Heartland Film Festival.  So, if you can find time to grab a link, I highly recommend checking this one out if you have time.