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Jennifer Fuller and hundreds of other youth counselors across the United States have been promoting the independent film “To Save a Life,” which opened at the Bangor Mall Cinemas this past Friday and will play until Thursday, Jan. 28.
Fuller brought the film to Bangor after seeing “To Save a Life” at a pre-screening held in Georgia during a conference last year. Fuller then agreed to raise a $700 deposit and would sell 1,000 tickets to bring the film to Maine this week. Bangor Mall Cinemas is the only theater in Maine carrying the film.
“The film’s central message is to accept everyone,” Fuller said.
Fuller is a youth counselor outside Old Town and understands the risks in working one-on-one with troubled teens. She said she endorses “To Save a Life” for its realistic approach in handing issues such as acceptance, teen pregnancy, divorce, suicide, wrist cutting, alcohol and drugs.
Fuller said the film has garnished positive responses from teenagers and parents from screenings across the country.
She and other volunteers had sold 300 tickets around the Bangor area by last Friday and have sold 50 tickets at the University of Maine. It will have 28 show times this week in Bangor.
Originally the movie was going to be released in only 50 theaters across the U.S. but strong promotion, like the promotion conducted by Fuller, has stretched its tally to 400 theaters by this past Friday.
The film’s story begins with Jim Britts, a pastor in California who wrote the film’s screenplay and wanted it to be a personal project for his youth group in California. Samuel Goldwyn films picked up the screenplay and made it a feature film.
“To Save a Life” is about the issues teenagers in high school face. There is a wide spectrum of issues here that are juggled well by the film’s screenwriter Jim Britts. The film centers on Jake Taylor, the school’s most popular kid, who loses his best friend after he commits suicide. He begins to change his life and see everyone as equals. “To Save a Life” realistically captures teenagers facing the reality of their illusions and their struggle to come to terms with it.
The film does a delicate job in handling touchy subjects in a tender, endearing way. “To Save a Life’s” plot however is a little methodic and contrived, but it offers unique twists and moments that give refreshing glimpses into the hectic lives of teenagers. There are some bright acting spots such as Kim Hidalgo as Andrea, once a wrist cutter who found redemption at a youth church gathering. She comes to inspire Jake and other characters in the film.
“To Save a Life” isn’t really preachy, it portrays teenagers in a realistic way. They’re vulnerable and are wandering alone through the pain of growing up while feeling lost in knowing how to change things. The Youth Church portrayed in the film is just an outlet for teenagers to step in the right direction in trying to better their lives; it isn’t saying that it’s the only right place for teenagers to seek answers.
Fuller will be selling more tickets for “To Save a Life” at a discounted price of $6 in the union during the week. “To Save a Life” will be playing daily through Thursday at the Bangor Mall Cinemas at 1:35, 4, 7, and 9:35 p.m. For more information about the film and it’s story visit it’s Web site, tosavealifemovie.com.
Grade: B
