Twin brothers Lane and Clint Winston (Noah & Logan Miller) reluctantly return to their hometown when both are dropped from their minor league baseball team on the same day. Refusing to give up on their dream of becoming professionals, they take manual labour jobs at the local quarry, with the intention of saving enough money to go to tryouts in Arizona. While there, they end up re-forging a relationship with their father Charlie (Ed Haris), a homeless, alcoholic gambling addict.
Based on a true story’ is a phrase that often raises eyebrows before a film has even begun. Given the frequently dubious plausibility of the statement, in addition to it often heralding two hours of mawkish, Oscar-baiting sentimentality, you can be forgiven for remaining sceptical.
However, Touching Home is a different creature entirely. Written, produced, directed by and starring Logan and Noah Miller, the brothers made the semi-biographical film as a tribute to their father after he died alone in a jail cell. Despite having no money, contacts, or previous filmmaking experience, in the space of a year the Millers raised funding, gathered an impressive cast and crew, and completed filming and editing.
The performance by Ed Harris as Charlie is easily equal to that of his more celebrated and nomination-garnering roles, and what stands most out is the honesty of the portrayal. There is no direct condemnation of Charlie’s actions, but neither is there justification for them. Although his gambling and drinking problems make him a lousy father and an unreliable human being, he is too much in thrall to his addictions to see how they affect people’s perceptions of him. When things come to a head after Charlie steals the brothers’ savings to play poker with and Clint demands to know why he took it, Charlie repeatedly replies, “I don’t know.
Although not professional actors, Logan and Noah Miller give fervent and passionate performances, and special mention must also go to Brad Dourif as the brothers’ uncle Clyde, a sweet and gentle man with learning disabilities, portrayed without stereotype or condescension.
Generally speaking, there is nothing specifically wrong with having a certain degree of sentiment in a film, but in this case the excess of emotion ends up working against it. The highly personal nature of the story seems to prevent the Millers from distancing themselves from the telling of it. This lack of objectivity creates an experience that not everyone will properly relate to; while every moment in the film is doubtlessly poignant for the brothers, they’re too close to the story to see how the significance of events will be diminished without personal experience.
The quintessentially American sport of baseball seems to be a fairly standard medium by which cross-generational male connections can be made. Much of the film’s story implies a childhood of neglect for Lane and Clint, but it is also stated that baseball was the only thing that both made them happy and brought them together as a family, and ultimately was what also brought them back together.
Overall Verdict: While an affectionate tribute rather than an engaging story, Touching Home is nonetheless a moving film about the anger and frustration felt when those you rely on let you down, but also acknowledging the ever-present glimmer of possibility for redemption.
Special Features:
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Reviewer: Andrew Marshall