Miriam Shor, who plays Harriet, and Sendhil Ramamurthy, who plays one of her unexpected allies, Hank, in “Magic Hour.
By Rachel Galvin
Harriet Peterson manages to keep a smile on her face while her world begins to slowly close in on her. Optimistic to a fault, and the type to always look at the bright side of life while being pushed from all sides, Peterson harbors an inner secret. Any outward joy she projects is in sharp contrast to the inner despair she does not know is growing, fed by constant challenges she encounters slicing away at her stability, in a thousand cuts.
On the surface, she seems oblivious to the resentments from people all around her, so when the angst in them builds causing them to take action, she is taken completely by surprise. Everything she has known is about to be taken away, leaving her a shell of a woman.
For one, the rift between Harriet and her daughter is growing with each passing day, as her daughter begins resenting her mother for what appears to be a lack of confidence in her dream to be an actress. The more the daughter feels neglected, the more she turns to her dad, who is having an affair, something that also comes out of left field to Harriet. The daughter does not realize that it is not her career choice her mother is upset about, but the loss of her own forgotten dreams.
As the crevices between Harriet and her family grow larger, Harriet boils over like a teapot, spilling her rage toward everyone around her, including her boss, who also treats her like a doormat. The anger she feels is not only toward these issues, although they would be enough, but also due to that dream she deferred — her deep desire to follow her passion and go back to film school and finish what she started.
That simmering pot eventually explodes. Harriet is forced to take bold action. But she is not bold enough to reveal everything she is doing to certain people around her, leaving her to lead a double life — adding to the excitement of the moment, but also the angst.
But going back to school is not that easy. Things have changed; she is older and wiser now, and her peers are now much younger. The people she is forced to work with do not necessarily have her best interests in mind. And she is forced to really push herself out of her comfort zone even more to battle back and fight for what she believes in, to fight for her dream and make it come true no matter the consequences. But she does find unexpected allies along the way as she works to get back what she has lost. The struggle to regain her identity again is quite a journey.
Director Jacqueline Christy delivers a powerful film. Beautifully shot with excellent acting, the film is both relatable yet more dramatic than real life. Actress Miriam Shor, who plays Harriet, is everything in this role — vulnerable, funny, heartbreaking, tragic, wise, naive … Shor is perhaps best for her role as Diana Trout in the TV show “Younger,” in which she plays an over-the-top man hungry demanding boss at a publishing company. Her role in this film as Harriet softens her considerably and presents a very deep and three-dimensional human being. There is so much meat to the character that it gives Shor much to chew on and really showcases her range as an actress, something that is sure to be a steppingstone to more nuanced roles and performances for her in the future. All actors do well in this film, but Shor stands out far above the rest.
This multi-layered film takes the viewer a bit through the ringer, feeling every bit of the ups and downs of Harriet’s hopes and heartaches, leaving them spent so that when the unexpected twists occur at the end, it is even more emotional. Anyone that is misunderstood for following their passion in life will especially relate to Harriet. (Honestly, this reporter could not stop bawling). For anyone in that category, this is a must-watch, and even those who might not personally relate to the yearning for a dream will really enjoy this film, which is a tour de force for Shor and a great accomplishment for the whole cast and crew.
The film will be showing for free on Wednesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. at Mayfair House Hotel and Gardens in Miami as part of the Miami Film Festival. Both Shor and Christy will be in attendance at the post film Q&A. Due to popular demand, there has been a second festival screening added on Sunday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Silverspot Miami. Reserve your seat at miamifilmfestival.com.