A Song of Good (2008) Reviews

A man whose life has finally hit bottom tries to crawl back up to respectability, but few believe he can carry the weight in this drama from New Zealand. Gary Cradle (Gareth Reeves) is a loser in his late twenties who still lives with his father, can't hold a job and spends his days in a haze of marijuana and amphetamines. Gary's lack of self-esteem is fueled by his family's distrust of him and the fact his friends are just as unreliable as he is. When Denis (Matthew Sunderland), Gary's drug dealer (who also happens to be his ex-brother in law) refuses to extend him credit, he decides to raise some cash by robbing his next door neighbor, Mrs. Esckleson (Darien Takle); the heist goes horribly wrong, and Gary rapes the woman in the midst of the confusion. In the aftermath of the crime, Gary is shocked by his own actions and makes a decision to change his life. Gary gives up drugs, gets a job at a hamburger stand, and tries to mentor his nephew, whose mother makes a living as a prostitute. However, Gary's family is wary of his attempts to turn over a new leaf, and his friends aren't sure what to make of his new dedication to a clean life. A Song of Good was an official selection at the 2008 Rotterdam Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi