This film truly captures the stuff kids are made of. In small-town America, kids create their own rules, their own boundaries, their own social structure. We all have to be on one side or the other. We all get hurt, and we hurt others. Everyone wants the gold for themselves at any cost. It's easy to call others names. It's hard to confront our fears. In a world dominated by uncertainty, self-centeredness, and consumerism, this honest and insightful film emphasizes the necessity of being connected to something greater than one's self. The Mushing Mill is the compelling story of kids down the street who tackle what it is to stand up for what you believe in. I could watch this film on loop and never tire of the details, the dialogue, or the direction. This film holds a mirror up to how the world once seemed to any of us from Anywhere, U.S.A. and it challenges us to examine how we see the world today. We chuckle through the truth of it all. Artful writing and skillful production. Not a film to be tucked away in the attic chest but one to be clasped tightly, held high, and shown for all to see. Finders' keepers!
