Movie Reviews

‘The Independents’ Review – A Charming and Delightful Reminder to Never Give Up on Yourself

By Dom Fisher
March 1, 2021
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Synopsis:

A musical comedy/drama about three solo-artists who collide at the same crossroads and discover harmony. Thus is born “RGB” (at least until they come up with a better band name) and what follows is their roller-coaster-ride journey across America for a one last shot at musical glory.

Sometimes you just have to say, yes. In my 33 years of life, more specifically, in the last five years, I’ve learned to go with the flow and say yes more often. Many of us tend to play it safe and say no to things even though it’s something we really want. We tend to make excuses such as being too busy, it’s not the right time, or I have a lot going on; it’s usually based in fear. However, when you let go and take that leap, things tend to fall in place as they should. Your life may change forever.

Greg Naughton’s The Independents is a charming and delightful reminder to never give up on yourself. This musical comedy/drama is filled with wonderful music, unlikely friendships, and unbelievable coincidences. Having done most of my growing up in Nashville, this is a story that is extremely familiar and very relatable. Everyone here does or has done music and has at least one friend that dabbles in it in some way. Nevertheless, the overarching meaning of this story isn’t exclusive to just music. This film is for anyone that has ever had a dream and when things didn’t go as planned, you thought about giving up. It’s for those who are chasing their dreams but are being told to be more realistic or you won’t make it. And it’s for those who are thinking about having one more go at it because you’ll regret it if you don’t. Moreover, this story spoke directly to me in a very unexpected way.

While some may feel that the coincidences are farfetched, I can assure you that many aspects of my own life have played out in very similar ways; especially while on this writing path I have been traversing. Starring real-life bandmates of the folk trio, The Sweet Remains, the chemistry is very authentic as do the comedic and touching moments. The vast majority of the music that pleasantly propagates throughout the film is by the band and not only displays their talent but adds validity to the story’s importance. The Independents is a melodically fun watch which I enjoyed. Its rewatchability is medium-high.

Plot & Pace

Struggling between finishing his dissertation in order to get a regular job and wanting to play music for a living, Rich is experiencing friction with most things in his life. One day he gets a visit from a somewhat familiar stranger named Greg who happens to share his affinity for music. After a small jam session, the two decide to give the music dream one last try by traveling to a folk music festival to perform. Once on the road, they haphazardly pick up a hitchhiker who too happens to be a musician. Brought together by either the universe or coincidence, they form RGB and begin an exciting and challenging journey to fulfillment.

The film moves pretty quickly, keeping things entertaining and melodic.

Characters & Chemistry

Well since Rich, Greg, and Brian are actually bandmates, the chemistry is very authentic. Also, with them not being actors by trade, they looked very comfortable in front of the camera. There are also a few familiar faces in Chris Sullivan and Richard Kind.

The Independents is virtual available through select theaters and will have a wider release via TVOD on March 9th, 2021. Stay safe and enjoy.