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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Harvest begins slowly enough as college student Josh Winters (Jack Carpenter, I Love You Beth Cooper, The Good Wife) travels home for the summer. It’s clear through his bored expressions and irritable tone that he does not want to spend his last summer of freedom with his dysfunctional family.

Josh’s divorced mother, Anna (Victoria Clark) is hanging by a thread emotionally as she struggles to keep a brave face while trying to care for a mother (Barbara Barrie) with Alzheimer’s and a father (Robert Loggia) with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Added to the mix is Josh’s Uncle Benny (Arye Gross, Castle, Minority Report) who simultaneously feuding with his mayoral brother Carmine (Peter Friedman) over money while fending off the romantic advances of a possibly illegal live-in caregiver.

Josh is clearly resentful of his situation and longs to be with his less-than-understanding girlfriend, but thanks to his grandfather’s unyielding zest for life, his connection to his family is made stronger than ever before. His understanding of generational bonds becomes clear to him as he realizes family is forever.

Harvest marks only the fifth film by little known director/writer Marc Meyers and only his second full-length feature. This fact shows as his newest offering often has the same vibe as a greeting card television movie. It barely has enough gravitas to escape being caught in sap like a mosquito during the Jurassic period.

Carpenter shows some promise, especially in scenes with Loggia, but not enough to say, “Hey, I think this guy is going to win an Oscar some day.” Meyers’s cast is primarily made up of actors/actresses who have made numerous guest appearances on television series over the years. Clark is known mostly for her Broadway work and received a Tony Award in 2005 for her portrayal of Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza at the Lincoln Center.

The one acting stand-out is Loggia who dominates the screen when he’s in a scene. At his age (80) the craft has become second nature for him and he gives his dying character a sense of strength and dignity that’s hard not to admire. He helps propel Harvest to just barely above mediocrity and into something we can appreciate as much of the subject matter will probably strike an emotional chord with many viewers.

On a letter grade scale from “A” being excellent to “F” for failing, Harvest receives a B-.

Harvest is rated R and has a running time of 102 minutes.

Now showing through March 31 @
Glenwood Arts
9575 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS
Visit www.fineartsgroup.com or call 913-642-4404 for more information.

By Michael D. Smith

Indie Film Editor

Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.

In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.

Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.