On November 23, 2014, I had the privilege of moderating the SAG nominating committee post-screening Q&A of 37: A FINAL PROMISE. Marking the directorial debut of the film’s star Randall Batinkoff, with script written by Batinkoff and Jesse Stratton, actresses Scottie Thompson and Tricia Helfer were also on hand.
Based on the Guy Blews memoir, “How Angels Die”, 37: A FINAL PROMISE is a deeply moving and profound story of unconditional and unconventional love that boasts emotionally powerful performances, particularly by Scottie Thompson who, as Jemma, is a woman dealing with the physically and emotionally debilitating, ALS, while swept into the hope and beauty of love.
As a first-time helmer, Batinkoff proves himself to be a skillful storyteller as an “actor’s director”, finding that sweet spot in grounding emotion and performance in truth and reality. Thanks to a solid narrative construct, there is deep emotional threading that frees the actors to not only immerse themselves on the emotional journey of the characters, but the audience. Working collaboratively with cinematographer Wes Cardino and editor Chris Hall, Batinkoff’s production values are stylized, fueling the emotional texture of the film that soars thanks to the chemistry of Batinkoff and Thompson.
Strong supporting cast includes Tricia Helfer, Bruce Davison, Michael Sutton, Leon Robinson, Scott Wolf and Shavo Obadjian.
