Lifemark: Movie Review

 

Reviewed by Nadya Statham

It was a typical Friday for me and as I made myself comfortable on the sofa, I started scrolling down Netflix and came across Lifemark. I stood still for a second to watch the trailer and something about David’s story really grabbed me, so I decided to watch it. And I’m glad I did. It was a real tear-jerker, but worth it!

I was really surprised that the movie was inspired by a true story. The thought of those teenagers having a child at such a young age sent chills down my spine. I really love the way the movie went, there was such a great structure and a beautiful concept inspired by reality, one I will not forget fast. 

The movie is about an eighteen year old adopted boy named David Colton, who gets in touch with his birth mother through the adoption center and after a while gets to meet her in person.

Then....you have to watch it!

There are great soundtracks which convey every sad or happy atmosphere at the right moments. Also Nate’s character really had me stitches sometimes as for the daring risks that were taken in the movie by Melissa and Jimmy, it was amazing! The movie is a really great awareness for adoption which can make so many people’s lives better. Cheers to Kevin Peeples and The Kendrick Brothers for producing this movie.

However, I want to make one thing clear before I continue, which is the fact that this is a movie review and is written with no intention to offend anyone in any way.

Now, I’m going to spoil the film a little, so if you haven’t watched it yet, you might want to skip this section: I want to talk about something which could have been improved.

Firstly, I want to take a look at the actors they chose for the movie. I have a feeling this movie was made with a low budget. I say this because I wasn’t entirely impressed by Raphael Ruggero’s (David Colton’s actor) acting. He's good, but he didn't reach the wow-factor and "made me emotional" kind of acting.

To explain a little more, I have a feeling Raphael didn’t have enough experience with acting yet or the dialogues and David’s character weren’t fully developed. Some things just felt forced, for example the part where he visits his biological parents.

Maybe it’s also about how the script was written, for example the way that David thanks his parents is a little overdone, in the movies I think. 

Next, the fact that Nate’s sister, Reece, is also pregnant in the end: David telling Reece about his life story is nice and very thoughtful, and I get the fact that they want to show that adoption is really something to consider, however I get the image that this makes it look like teen pregnancy is alright.

Overall, I adored the movie and the producers as actors did a fabulous job making this movie. Of course, there could’ve been some improvements, but that does not mean I didn’t enjoy it. I admire Melissa for her bravery and being so strong. Ku2! The film is a must-see.

Now, did you watch Lifemark already? If you didn’t, what are you waiting for? Press that Netflix button and go watch it!