By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Angel Studios is back with another riveting drama that is both heart wrenching and inspiring. “Brave the Dark” is based on the true story of a troubled teen in the 1980s whose plight gains the attention of one of his teachers. Wonderful storytelling and impactful acting performances make this soulful film a must-see.
Orphaned at a young age and living on his own out of his car in rural Pennsylvania, Nathan Williams (Nicholas Hamilton) has had a challenging life with seemingly no opportunities. Constantly hungry and angry over his circumstances, Nathan’s path to self-destruction is all but assured. Staring down the future as a criminal, a drama teacher at his high school named Stan Deen (Jared Harris) takes him under his wing to try to correct Nathan’s path.
Plagued by the dark memories of his past, Nathan has always run from his problems and is mistrustful of other people’s intentions. Stan must find a way to break through the young man’s walls and force him to confront his demons before it is too late, and the darkness consumes him.
It took two years after premiering at a few film festivals in 2023 for “Brave the Dark” to finally get a distribution deal, but Angel Studios thankfully rescued it from the shelf. It is directed and co-written by Damian Harris, a veteran filmmaker out of London, England. When tackling a true story, it’s vitally important to be committed to its authenticity, and Harris makes that a priority. He has the real-life Nathan on set to ensure his story is told accurately, and he filmed on location in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This brings reliability to the dramatization of this storyline that viewers will find refreshing and relatable.
Damian wisely chooses substance over style, using a basic yet effective approach and fully committing to heartfelt storytelling. As the main character loses himself to memories of his childhood, Damian uses flashbacks to reveal little snippets of information each time that allow the audience to better understand this volatile character. This slowly sinks the hook that by the time he’s ready to pull back on the reel and displays that final flashback sequence, viewers are emotionally invested, yielding an impactful tearjerking moment.
Starring in the lead role is Australian actor Nicholas Hamilton, whose most recognizable role came in the two recent “It” movies. He is reminiscent of a young Mark Wahlberg in both appearance and acting passion. There are certain explosive line deliveries in this film that conjure memories of one of Wahlberg’s first films, “Fear.” Hamilton stands on his own two feet, providing a natural screen presence to which audiences will be drawn. He believably portrays that constant inner struggle of past trauma that pulls him into self-sabotage time and time again. This is a commendable performance by the talented young man that could lead to a promising future.
Co-starring as his mentor/teacher is veteran actor Jared Harris, who is largely considered one of the UK’s greatest stage and screen actors and also happens to be the director’s brother. At first, Jared’s performance comes off a bit hokey and cheesy, until you realize that is pretty authentic to how many high school teachers speak. His dramatic tendencies and gesticulations are further indicative of his role as the high school drama teacher. It’s the added depth Jared provides his character that makes him stand out in a meaningful way, showing his own fallibilities and emotional baggage that supply a realistic imperfection viewers find relatable.
As Stan Deen would say, “This too shall pass.” So, don’t let “Brave the Dark” pass you by. Seize the moment and watch this inspirational true story on the big screen, which releases this weekend. Thought-provoking topics, the human condition, courage, selflessness, and simply caring for one another make this an influential film worth seeing.
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