A Road Trip for a Mom’s Last Wish

Logan Lerman (left) and John Hawkes in "End of Sentence"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When you think of a road movie, you might often think of characters going cross country with the hopes of finding new adventures as they visit places to which they’ve never been.  You don’t often consider the characters traveling between countries for their travels.  However, that’s what we’re given in Elfar Adalsteins’ drama, “End of Sentence,” his feature directorial debut that explores a father-son bond in the midst of a loss.

Shortly before Sean Fogle (Logan Lerman) is released from prison, his mother, Anna (Andrea Irvine), passes away.  Once Sean is released, he and his father, Frank (John Hawkes), travel to Ireland to grant Anna’s final wish: to have her ashes scattered in a lake that she has often visited in her native Ireland.  On their travels, Sean and his father will face their strained relationship in an attempt to make it through their trip.

Hawkes is one of those actors who’s always capable of giving a great performance, but doesn’t always receive the recognition that he deserves.  In his role of a grieving father, Hawkes presents a man who doesn’t need much of anything, just the love of his family.  To see the dedication to make his late wife’s wish come true, as well as the sadness of the constant rejection from his son, it’s poignant to watch as you see Hawkes’ character do his best to build a connection out of a loss.  One of the main attributes of any performance from Hawkes is how expressive his eyes can be, and he uses that factor to add another layer of emotion to whatever he’s feeling.  Whether it’s sadness, angry, happiness, or doubt, you can bet that he will make an impact on you because of how quietly powerful he can convey his feelings.

Lerman provides a bristling performance as a young man who tends to be closed off, but is hiding several troubles underneath his seemingly inscrutable thoughts.  He shows someone who doesn’t want to converse with many, but wishes to be understood and disclose the emotional and physical pain that he has suffered in the past.  It’s an understatedly tense portrayal that always hints at the innocence within, and Lerman does well in having the audience lean in and gaze into Sean’s persona and feelings as he goes through his transition from prison to the outside world.

Sarah Bolger’s supporting work as a young local who joins Sean and Frank on their trip is a glowing portrayal.  Bolger gives a performance of pure welcomeness as she connects with the father and son on their travels.  As a woman who has a few troubles of her own, Bolger exhibits a character who isn’t apprehensive about telling strangers about her life, but still shows a bit of mysteriousness in her.  It’s a remarkable performance that shows an outpouring of strength, despite the character’s vulnerability. 

Although the screenplay by Michael Armbruster can be a bit thin, it still has a few more things to offer than just a bare-bones father-son story.  It goes into some occasional depth as to what has caused the strain in Frank and Sean’s relationship, disclosing details here and there about the characters and their pasts, details that shed light on the significant similarities and differences between them that help to give their relationship enough dramatic force.  

Other than this, the script is also noteworthy in how it handles Sean’s arc, in particular.  His arc isn’t about him trying to readjust to society after his release from prison, but is instead about him being at a spot in his life where he and his father have to pick up where their troubled relationship left off and attempt to traverse the animosity between them.  It’s not about Sean reconnecting with the outside world itself, but is rather about him reconnecting with his loved ones.  

With the cinematography by Karl Oskarsson, who provided the camerawork for Adalstein's 2011 short film, "Sailcloth," he takes the landscapes of Ireland and makes you understand the beauty that Sean’s mom loved about her native land, while also showing you the sense of awe that Sean and Frank experience.  The gorgeousness of the imagery adds to the narrative emotion because you’re seeing this place and the possibility that it has to change the father and son’s relationship for the better as they come to understand why Anna remained so drawn to this place.  Between the striking imagery, such as that of the lake and a winding road alongside a coastal mountain, you won’t be anything less than moved by what you see.

Adalstein’s direction takes an effectively soft approach to the central relationship, but is still able to make us feel the tension that simmers beneath.  There aren’t any heavy-handed emotional moments, but rather very genuine interactions that not only emphasize the lost years of connection between Frank and Sean, but also the gradualness that goes into rebuilding their relationship.  Through these moments, “End of Sentence” is a look at how a road trip can provide the chance to talk, listen, think, and most importantly, heal.

Grade: A-