A Pebble In The Pond (2022) Film Review
When it comes to telling a story about charity, and a real story for that matter, I always say you have two choices. On the one hand, you can sit back and let the story take its course without any hint of trying to distance yourself from a battered past, which is a compelling tale of true kindness. This is acceptable and no one should criticize it, because as simple as these films seem, such tales of humanity should not be tampered with, and the value of these stories is clearly effective.
But you can also decide whether to make your film about goodwill and what goes beyond its informative limits. Regardless of the theme you use for your movie, your movie should be interesting and that’s exactly what it is Paul Howard fulfills with A Pebble in the Pond. Yes, this is a film about an amazing feat that we should observe, celebrate and at least try to repeat. At the same time, it is also a beautiful historical document about the roots of a beautiful tradition and how a family’s legacy goes beyond tangible borders. And at the end, a retelling (beautifully animated) gives way to modern times, affirming that we can do good to the world. Only if we want to.
In A Pebble in the Pond, the main subject is an organization called the Assistance League, which began its mission in 1890. The program is still successful in all its aspects. One is Operation School Bell and provides clothing, books, guidance and more to children who just can’t get in. From the homeless to those in foster care, their basic needs are met by a venerable system born in California but spread across the country. Actress Ann Benson she’s at the helm of the program, and she’s a force of nature able to connect the glamorous side of Hollywood with a poverty-stricken realm that’s rarely explored.
The documentary film a beautiful collection of testimonies of those who have been part of the program since they were part of the affected population, but now help in whatever way they can. We can also listen to the women responsible for several of the program’s activities. This movie is heartwarming and will touch your heart. Not because it is endlessly dramatic and suited to the tragic meaning of the situation, but because it is based on the simplicity of the program, which has kept its bloodline intact since Anne Banning started it in the early twentieth century.
Paul Howard into the director’s chair with vigor to tell an impactful story that doesn’t stay lazy based on its premise. With a compelling subject like Benson, it connects the audience to the cause. But then he goes on to delve into the secondary aspect of the program, which isn’t as basic as you might think and isn’t often talked about. Because smiling may be simple, but trying to connect children with the cause gives them a certain identity that is sure to be positive when they grow up. A special series where kids tell what they want to be when they grow up will make you smile and root for the Assistance League, an organization that sounds too good to be true, but does exist and you can reach them .
Get wavy.
Founder of Screentology. Member of OFCS. RT rated critic
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