Written and directed by Heather Young
Starring Shan MacDonald and Andria Edwards
Running time: 1 hour and 24 minutes

by Audrey Callerstrom

It’s a common sight, in an acting class, for the instructor to frame each scene with a primary question: “What does your character want?” Trying to get what your character wants is what drives each scene. Without identifying your character’s objective, your scene becomes listless. The whole process makes every line, every moment, every look feel loaded. You’re no longer just slamming a (pretend) door shut. You are making a statement that you are unhappy in your marriage!

I thought of this during Heather Young’s  Murmur, a Canadian film which uses real locations and non-scripted dialogue. Murmur centers around Donna, played by Shan MacDonald, a woman in her 50s who begins mandated community service at an animal shelter following a DWI. MacDonald does not have any acting credits on IMDB, and neither does anyone else credited in the film. This can make for some awkward line readings, but overall it works well, and McDonald conveys a level of authenticity as Donna. Donna lacks self-awareness or intention and never speaks with any certainty. When she reaches for booze, she does so in an automated way, as if by muscle memory. She continues to reach out to her only daughter, Julia, although it’s clear that Julia wants nothing to do with her. A simpler film would have shown how Donna’s work at the animal shelter and consequent adoption of an old dog named Charlie, changes Donna. But Young didn’t make a simple film. Donna doesn’t change, she simply replaces one addiction (alcohol) with another (adopting pets). This leads to an uncomfortable, real life situation: a lot of pets that need to be rehomed, and a lonely, mentally ill person losing their only friends.

The title comes from a heart murmur that Charlie has, among other ailments. Donna, too, has a heart murmur, and is in poor cardiovascular health. There are some things this film does well. The use of non-actors is effective. It also takes Donna through some typically invisible situations, including a group therapy class where people perform seated, low-impact exercises. Young makes it clear that Donna’s adopting habit is unhealthy, showing Donna’s messy apartment and multiple shots of animal waste. Except for one brief moment with her coworker Crystal (Andria Edwards), however, we never see anyone’s response to Donna or her actions, and that keeps the stakes low.  More context on Donna, specifically her history, would also help give certain moments more weight. Was the DWI Donna’s first offense? Who was she before the incident? Is Donna’s arrest why Julia won’t talk to her, or is there something else? Who takes care of the rent in the basement apartment where Donna lives (she doesn’t appear to work?)  What is Donna’s mental health diagnosis, aside from addiction? We’re asked, as a viewer, to be invested in Donna without knowing any more about her aside from the fact that she has a daughter and a drinking problem. We never see her boss at the animal shelter, or her therapist, or her doctor react to her. We never see, or hear, her daughter, or know the circumstances behind Donna’s DWI. In addition to this detached narrative, the film also looks drab; most scenes take place under fluorescent lighting or in Donna’s dark apartment. Shots of things like soapy water from a dog bath going into a drain or a spinning mop could benefit from added music, although that omission is likely because of budget rather than an artistic choice. Murmur is carefully and thoughtfully executed, but due to some of Young’s choices, such as offscreen characters and an underwritten main character, it lacks dramatic impact.

*Murmur is playing at Slamdance Film Festival Friday January 24th at 11:00AM and Monday January 27th at 3:15PM. For more information, click here.