Angel Studios, the company behind surprise box office hits Sound of Freedom and Cabrini, returns with their latest drama, Brave the Dark. The innovative studio that “empowers creators to crowdfund, create, and distribute films and TV series globally with full creative control” this time emboldens writer/director Damian Harris to tell a heartfelt story of inspiration, resilience, and ultimately, a hope for redemption. I was initially drawn to the project due to the presence of It breakout and TikTok mixology legend Nicholas Hamilton. Here, Hamilton gives his most nuanced performance yet as a troubled teen in serious need of guidance. Based on a true story, Brave the Dark presents a relatively straightforward narrative that should easily appeal to fans of indie dramas with a slight edge.
Nathan (Hamilton) starts at an improbable low point—despite being a member of the track team and having a girlfriend, outside of school, Nathan’s situation is anything but ordinary. He lives out of his car, sleeping among fields. Every waking moment remains plagued by haunting memories of Nathan’s deceased mother. After getting arrested for stealing, Nathan refuses to snitch on his friends who also participated in the robbery. For all accounts, it appears that Nathan’s luck may have officially run out.
Enter: Nathan’s concerned drama teacher, Mr. Deen (Jared Harris, Mad Men, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). Not only does Stan Deen bail Nathan out, but Stan also provides him a place to stay while attempting to rehabilitate his life. The best way to change Nathan’s image and win over the favor of a judge, Stan argues, is by returning to school. Through schooling and hard work, Nathan can become a more fully-formed version of himself. Those who have seen this type of film before will probably not find anything to surprise or shock. Being based on a true story has its advantages, and thankfully, Brave the Dark leans less into its tragedies and more into an uplifting message instead.
The true heft of this familiar tale lies in the actual character arc of Nathan. Led by a committed Nicholas Hamilton, Nathan may be flawed, but he is nevertheless someone we want to see come out of this unscathed. Everybody makes mistakes, particularly when they are younger. Being only high school age makes Nathan a perfect candidate for this type of trajectory. Forced to struggle with homelessness and an especially tragic set of circumstances, young Nathan had no choice but to grow up immediately. Hamilton, opposite Harris, has an eventual passionate monologue that encapsulates his entire experience with a heartbreaking exclamation mark.
As Nathan’s friendship with Stan transforms into a familial one, Brave the Dark too becomes more than the sum of its parts. It carries two captivating performances in Nicholas Hamilton and Jared Harris, a bittersweet message regarding facing one’s trauma, and throws in some archival photos of the real-life subjects at the end for good measure. Ultimately, Brave the Dark emerges cute enough and inspirational, even despite an occasional blandness to the filmmaking technique. In this case, the indie nature truly represents Angel Studios at its finest.
Prepare to Brave the Dark, exclusively in theaters on Friday, January 24th.
