Peridot *** (2022, Shayne Pax, Harry Hains, Susan Moore Harmon) – Classic Movie Review 12,366

Shayne Pax writes and directs, and stars in, the 2022 drama film Peridot as young hustler Gabriel, working the Los Angeles streets with his two buddies, just trying to survive and to send money to his mother back home.

He’s an opportunist, chancer and thief, but good at heart. He’s calm and kindly. But he’s lost. Redemption and heartache are at hand. The shadow of death hovers over Peridot but, no need to let that put anyone off, it has a bitter-sweet happy ending of sorts.

Redemption comes in the form of Martha, an older woman who turns out to be a renowned author. She approaches Gabriel while he’s sitting on a train platform. He’s polite, but he wants to get rid of her. She persists, and picks him up, offering to pay him, and it’s the start of a beautiful friendship, unlikely but beautiful. She is talky, and Gabriel likes her talk, even becomes addicted to it. He keeps seeking her out, and she eventually encourages him to write too, and tell his own story, and this is it.

Of course, Gabriel reminds Martha of her departed son, and Martha must represent an idealised mother figure for Gabriel, though why he is away from his mother back home we don’t find out.

One of Gabriel’s two buddies is the handsome, equally talky Luke (Harry Hains), who gets in a bad way with his drug taking. Luke is the third significant character in the drama.

The film is very well done, credible and convincing and involving, and imaginatively shot. Shayne Pax is excellent in the lead role. It’s not always easy playing yourself in a film, even less so when you are also writing and directing it, and Pax does a grand job with all three departments. The only complaint could be that it is way too short at 63 minutes, and yet it is entirely complete and satisfying. You want more, but more might be less.

Harry Hains was born on 4 December 1992 in Melbourne, Australia. He died of fentanyl intoxication on 7 January 2020 in Los Angeles.

Peridot is a deep yellowish-green transparent variety of olivine. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occurs only in one colour.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,366

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