Simple Like Silver
Written and Directed by Damian Lahey
Starring Cristina Marsillach, Lacy Marie Meyer, Susanna Nelson, Hudson Sims
Shot on an iPhone X and graded black & white in post-production, Damian Lahey’s sophomore feature, “Simple Like Silver,” shines with an unparalleled brilliance as it asks questions about our existence. Cleverly, the lead character, Lucia (Cristina Marsillach), isn’t the first character that we meet, but she is the most relatable.
On holiday, Lucia aims to find herself amongst the hustle and bustle of Jacksonville, a busy, tourist-filled town, trying to find her spice of life. Wandering, Angela, played on screen by Susanna Nelson and voiced by Lacy Marie Mayer, seems mentally lost following a run-in that she cannot remember the details of. She is sullen and dirty but knows a general direction to her home.
Like any human, though, Angela fears the unknown. This unknown is verbalized in a multitude of ways. Lahey expertly crafts a story in which these two ladies intersect with one another. The way the action is shot, you expect Lucia and Angela to cross paths; however, they do so in a very unexpected and welcome way.
Lahey’s story is filled with existential and exponentially powerful human feelings as he explores two waning lives, seeking fulfillment in the smallest of details. The use of black and white offers a sharpness that hasn’t been presented previously, and, though it was shot using an iPhone, you wouldn’t know that – the imagery of the two ladies wandering with purpose stands out in every frame.
Interestingly, you’d think that the two lady’s journeys would be sufficient to fill a movie; however, Lucia encounters a Hemingway-esque character in the form of Joe (Hudson Sims), a child of 10 years old who, with his notebook, is starting to write a story. Lahey built the character to be very intellectual while being aware of the details of the nature surrounding our characters. He is full of wisdom and imparts a part of it on Lucia when they encounter one another.
I hadn’t thought about it when I watched the film, which is now available for rental or purchase on Amazon, but Lahey tapped into three diverse generations, the end of life, the middle of life, and the beginning of life. “Simple Like Silver” offers the wisdom of each and imparts on the viewer a new lust for finding the simplest of pleasures in even the most mundane of encounters.
The cinematography aside, “Simple Like Silver” runs a lean 70 minutes, and you are engaged in every minute because the characters are so engaging, the setting so vibrant that you want to see more. Interestingly, “Simple Like Silver” is Cristina Marsillach’s first performance in over 24 years. She deserves every accolade afforded her because of this film; I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Now on Amazon Prime, “Simple Like Silver” is the kind of thinking persons’ film – the type of story where the imagery tells the story as the voice-overs convey the emotion, and it will stay with you long after the film ends. Recommended.