Austin Film Festival Movie Review – ‘Re: Uniting’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

(L-R) Roger Cross, David James Lewis, Bronwen Smith, Carmen Moore, and Jesse L. Martin as Collin, Danny, Carrie, Natalie, and Michael in ‘Re: Uniting’. (Photo Courtesy of @sydwonphotography.)

This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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Reunions with old friends, often times through some type of class reunion, are something we cherish for fascinating and unique reasons. For some people see them as an opportunity to re-live old glory days and reflect upon the wonder of youth and simpler times. While there are some, who go there to judge and enjoy the tea regarding everyone’s lives and the ups and downs they have faced. While others, just want to catch up and see how life has treated everyone. But while those are indeed fair reasons to say hello to old faces that have aged like fine wine, we honestly don’t think about the real wonder that reunions could potentially send our way. For they really are something special when you think about it.

Because this is more than a mere chance to catch up. This is a chance to learn about a life, a life that had some kind of impact upon us in our youth, be it good or be it bad, and there’s a lot to learn about greater topics by carefully listening to the stories that those individuals are eager to tell. For they can outright give us perspective on what matters and what is truly important in this life, if we approach that reunion with a level of honesty that we provide our closest friends with. But sadly, few of us approach a reunion in that manner, and in turn few of us know how much perspective about life such raw truth could provide us with. But thankfully stories can fill in those blanks and give us an idea of what such a reunion could do for us, and it just so happens that a brand-new motion picture is screening at the Austin Film Festival that explores just that.

A feat that Re: Uniting accomplishes by plunging us into the heart of a long-awaited reunion for a group of old college friends. All of whom are eager to catch up and enjoy some quiet time at a lake and see how everyone has been, and well… that initially leads to a supremely chill weekend. Where libations flow, old memories echo and good times are had by all. But it doesn’t take long… for the troubles of the world to come forth and complicate the reunion. Giving rise to unrest and surprise, and a shocking revelation. One that will provide this group of friends with perspective that they never expected to find, and an understanding of how important it is to cherish one’s life and one’s decisions since moments slip through our fingers like sand, and by the time this weekend comes to its close… their lives will be forever changed. 

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Jesse L. Martin and Michelle Harrison as Michael and Rachel in ‘Re: Uniting’. (Photo Courtesy of @sydwonphotography.)

Which at first glance appears to be a plot that is wildly reminiscent of the classic 1980s hit, The Big Chill. With a different focus in hand since there’s no one in the group pondering upon the nature of life and the suddenness of death. But it doesn’t take long for this film to evolve into a powerful parable about so many important elements that we confront in middle age. Such as whether or not we put ourselves in a good position to be a success in life, if we did enough to find love and happiness, and the shocking and uncomfortable reality that our time here is indeed finite, and the importance of enjoying every single second we have of it. Which are themes that outright take you off guard in a good way since you’re not expecting this story to bring forth such powerful truths about what we face in life, but it is welcome, since those are issues, we need to deal with.

But of course, the story goes further than just pointing such matters out. For once they are out in the open, these characters and the viewer are forced to confront so much about the world and life, and how we find perspective and peace regarding those all-important matters. How exactly the film accomplishes that, we simply cannot spoil here, because to do so would ruin the carefully woven tapestry that writer/director Laura Adkin assembled. But rest assured, this is nothing short of a masterpiece about life. One that deeply explores the reality that what lies ahead will be just as hard as what we left behind. And that the only way through it, is through the connections we make, and cherish, and nurture, and this film also explores why it is imperative to maintain those connections throughout the years instead of waiting for that all-important reunion. 

Which really does make for a motion picture that stays with you long after its ended, and moves you deeply as you watch, simply because it speaks to important topics few of us want to face, but need to and need to discuss and what’s amazing is that this film still has more to offer beyond its messages. For it also features, an outright acting clinic, since every single actor in this film offers performances that come from deep within their souls, and that sells the moments in question with a gravity that is rare to see in film. All of which makes this, an essential viewing experience. In large part because of the lessons at hand, but also because… this is just a great motion picture. One that will make you laugh, make you cry and will still find a way to inject hope into your soul, and you simply cannot go wrong with a motion picture that offers that and offers lessons about life, and its meaning.

To learn more about the assembly of this film, please visit our interview with the film's cast, and the film's Writer/Director, Laura Adkin, here. 

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