User reviews

I enjoy indie films and I tend to watch a lot of them. I enjoy them because every once in a while you come upon a little gem. Well for me, that's how I feel about this wonderful indie film. I loved the story and the acting. The acting was spot on and the story very relatable. Great job all. You get a thumb's up from me on this one.

A VERY strong lead performance puts this intriguing indie above others. If you enjoy a good slow burn, I recommend checking this one out. Well worth your time.

Ava-A Twist in the Road is a film that details the aftermath of a late in life tragedy that undoes all the plans made. Facing loss, the main character works through a maze of situations, people, emotions, and grief, and shows how she navigates the competing agendas and needs of those she comes in contact with. It also deals with her own issues that need resolution to move forward. Ultimately, this is a wonderful film that makes one think what choices would I make if faced with the same situation. Nice acting and a well produced movie for those in a contemplative mood.

I love that the writer/director/producers or whoever decided to tell the story with mature actors, using issues people must face as we age. Too often movies overlook these issues and struggles. I really appreciate that this film has a strong female lead, who is also older, which we don't see in many movies. One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. AVA: A Twist In The Road is a great indie gem that the big studios could learn from. Thanks to the filmmakers for making this movie and for showing the world we can still find hope at any age.

AVA: A Twist In The Road captures the life of a woman after losing her partner. Showing the perspective of "the other woman" who goes through stages of grief, depression, isolation, support and later independence and moving on. This movie would be great for anyone going through these challenges and the tone offers some laughs to balance out the character's pain allowing you to root for the main character to find her way. I would've enjoyed seeing the male lead a bit more. Their relationship was intriguing and there was some chemistry with the two, but then it would be a different story. An enjoyable watch!

A relatable, universal story. Kept me wondering what was going to happen next; was not expecting the twists and turns. It's a relationship drama film that you will still be thinking about even after you watch it.

It's great to see more mature actors represented in this tear jerker about love and loss. Catherane Skillen delivers a stellar performance as a woman who's life takes an unexpected turn as well as pulling triple duty as writer and director which is never easy. Kudos! You can tell that this movies takes full advantage of its SAG AFTRA union actors who skillfully navigate their performances with ease. The pace felt good, in fact the whole movie was really well done, charming and heartwarming. This movie is a perfect film for a rainy Sunday on the coach when you're ready for all the feels but keep the tissues close as it may make you cry tears of joy.

I can not believe prime video actual aired this, Poor Poor acting and painfully slow and the main charactor didn't feel sorry for her at all. Watched the whole movie haha the whole time asking myself why, why are you watching this my 2 bits.

In this day and age when we seem to be offered one superhero movie after another by Hollywood it is really refreshing to be told a human story that is realistic and doesn't shy away from the big subjects such as love or grief. Director Catherane Skillen carefully leads her wonderful cast through the ups and downs of a terrible loss and the eventual light at the end of the road. The style is realistic and avoids all the typical Hollywoods mistakes of adding unnecessary schmaltz by emphasizing emotional scenes with exaggerated. This cut -to-the- bone storytelling is so much ore convincing and gives the carefully laid out characters a chance to develop organically. I highly recommend this movie.

I really appreciate that this film has a strong female lead, who is also older, which we don't see in many movies. The story had good conflicts that escalated in an interesting way. There were parts that were a little slow, but ultimately it is a good watch!

The lead grandfatherly actor is strong and solid. The lead grandmotherly actress struggled throughout. Some shaky camera movements didn't fit in or were done by mistake and without use of a tripod. The "f" word was used at least twice unnecessarily. Some of the other actors seemed new to acting. I guess the biggest drawback was how slow the movie was it just seemed like it dragged on and on.

A truly poignant film where the main character suffers great loss but finds the courage and strength to rise above. Great cast & production value! A must see!!!

First of all, I would like to highlight the impressive naturalness of Catherane Skillen's outstanding performance, which carries the entire film. I was delighted to discover that she is also the director and writer of this movie. She has an interesting way of conveying ideas through characters and dialogue.

A Beverly Hills story with a strong message at the end.

Highly recommended!

One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. Many legendary older actors in the industry are often sidelined in favor of younger generations in most films. Older women have it even worse, often being relegated to specific roles, like the evil stepmother. A range of stories can be told with an older protagonist and older women and AVA: A Twist in the Road shows this off well.

This film is anything but a traditional drama. The story beats that are expected of the film don't happen. Instead, the film goes on a more freeform path where major story and character elements just happen. Is this a bad thing? Far from it. Movies shouldn't have to be predictable, because why would I want to see something where I can predict what's going to happen in the next scene? Although the film doesn't have a traditional approach, it ultimately succeeds at telling a story about moving on and becoming self-sufficient.

Some of my favorite shots in the film have to be when Ava is grieving in her home after learning of Bobby's tragic death. Unlike some films that I've seen, Ava's portrayal of grief is very accurate. She shuts herself in away from her friends, drinks her sorrows away and struggles to move on. Meanwhile, her neighbors and friends try to help her move on from Bobby's death by bringing her food and flowers. Throughout the film, Ava struggles to overcome her loss, as her previous idyllic life begins crumbling around her. Despite the film's strengths, there are a few problems I had with it. Some of the film's dialogue felt a bit too on-the-nose. Additionally, some of the lines delivered were a bit weak, and I also felt a few of the scene transitions were a bit too tacky at times and could have been toned down a bit.

Carrying the film is our lead played by Catherane Skillen. Her earnest performance makes Ava both relatable and likable. While she doesn't nail every line delivery, her performance feels very real, something many actors struggle with. My second favorite performance has to be Tannis Benedict who had the best line delivery as Ava's best friend, Leanne. However, I felt that Louie Mandrapilias as Michael was a bit stiff on his line delivery in his first few scenes, but noticeably improved later.

Overall, AVA: A Twist in the Road is good in its general storytelling and message. However, its technical side does suffer a bit, which occasionally takes me out of the film. Despite this, the film makes up for this by making Ava a likable protagonist who perseveres through and through. Is this film a perfect movie? No, but then again most films are not. But is it worth watching? Yes, I think it's worth a viewing, especially for those who are either undergoing or have underwent the cycle of grief.

Ava: A Twist in the Road ended up being a very interesting drama. The story is well-paced and held my interest. I cared for the lead and found the entire cast to be charming. Among the smaller roles, I found Daniela Brown to be a standout. This is a film is a rarity; it is an intimate, realistic story for older audiences.

I've worked as a financial advisor for many years and I have had scores of women relate the same situation that this movie is talking about. They have a loving partnership with their mate, but during their entire time together it was always the man who took care of all financially related matters. Often times, the woman will say that she's not good with money, or that her husband is far better. Then when the man suddenly passes, the woman is often in financial dire straits because there was no planning or education. There are a lot of character archetypes in this film, especially rich, pampered older ladies who may one day find themselves in the same position as the main protagonist, Ava. What I found interesting about Ava, was that she wanted to live her new, unexpected situation on her own terms, even in the face of incredible stress and adversity. I'm sure this one will resonate with a lot of folks.

'AVA: A Twist in the Road' by Catherane Skillen tells the story of the titular character as she navigates well, a twist in the road. That road being figurative of course in this bumpy thing we call life. Ava (Skillen) and her long-time partner Bobby (Bill Lewis) have a loving and healthy relationship. Just like all long-term relationships however, it isn't perfect. Bobby is away a lot for work and Ava wishes that they spent more quality time together. Suddenly, Bobby passes away and leaves Ava all alone. Having relied on Bobby for literally everything through their life together, this proves very difficult.

Firstly, having an older woman as the focal point of the story is certainly refreshing, as is the portrayal of she and Bobby's relationship as loving, playful and sexually active just as that of a younger couple, which is something that is often forgotten and not played up as much on the screen.

The narrative is clear and focused with a very straightforward A-B structure but just as the title alludes to, there are twists in the road and the loss of Bobby is not the only one. In addition to all the stress that Ava is facing trying to navigate life without the one person she counted on, Bobby's son Bob Jr. Ahem, I mean "Robert", bitter about the fact that his father left his mother for Ava, is trying to make sure that she gets nothing from his father's estate. At first, this sub-plot was interesting and even felt like the film could take on a thriller quality but it was dismissed rather quickly and ultimately the foundation laid and the characterisation of Robert ended up being unnecessary.

There are certainly some filmmaking wins in 'AVA' and a stand-out scene comes during her attendance at a party that she doesn't really want to be at. The scene takes on a dream-like quality as Ava is approached by a variety of people all sharing their personal opinions and stories with her, whilst the sounds of conversations and laughter close in creating a claustrophobic feeling which is reflective of what somebody in her situation might feel in a social situation, and will certainly be relatable to anybody who has experienced social anxiety.

There are some good performances here, mainly from Skillen and she manages to elevate those around her who give weaker, but not bad performances. Paired with some questionable editing choices and dated transitions, 'AVA' at times sort of resembles a Sunday afternoon soap opera. Bill Lewis as Bobby is also a standout,

The film isn't really sure what it wants to be with a shifting tone from light-hearted to depressing with the colour pallet and soundtrack to match. Of course, grief is a big part of the affair and that grief is less suggestive and more in an on the nose "I'm holding this knife and you know what that means!" kind of way. It's not an issue per se, but it wasn't totally necessary and seems to really want to make sure that you understand how depressed Ava is, assuming we aren't already aware of the impact that an event like this can have on a person.

The end comes rather quickly with the runtime clocking in at just 1 hour and 14 minutes. The film fails to deliver a big payoff as one might expect however there is a very nice moment of clarity to close.

Overall, 'AVA: A Twist in the Road' is an interesting but flawed picture with some relatable themes of love, loss but also serves as an important cautionary tale of making sure to take charge of your own life and not rely entirely on somebody else.

I was very impressed by this indie drama and by the wonderful performance of Catherane Skillen. The film very effectively tells the story of Ava, a woman who unexpectedly is forced to rebuild her life at a later stage in her life. I love how this film fights ageism and shows you that no matter where you are in your life, it is never too late to change your ways and start over. I was very moved and engaged throughout Ava's journey, even when it seemed hard to relate to her at the beginning, she's a fully fleshed character who quickly wins you over and makes you root for her. It is also incredibly refreshing to see 50 plus women in leading roles and I truly wish there were more films like this.

In any other movie, our main character Ava might be the villain. She's the other woman. She needy, shallow, and lacking in any kind of work skills. But the situation she has been thrust into forces her into thinking about what she really wants out of the last chapters of her life.

Writer/director/lead actress is unwavering in her intentions. You can tell she knows exactly how she wants to tell this story and is more than welcome to have you along for the ride.

The themes are universal enough to reach all ages, but the character and setting refuses to be anything you've seen before. Well done!

Ava: A Twist In The Road is a film written, directed by and starring Catherane Skillen. This film centers around love, loss and life changes. Ava loses the love of her life unexpectedly and because she was so dependent on him her life takes an unexpected turn. It is nice to see a film with older characters sharing a story that many may experience and one where the main character needs to find her way again. It is a life lesson that no matter how in love you may be, it is smart to maintain some form of independence which in turn might make a loss gentler to navigate. It is also reminder to have our wills signed and filed before our passing so our wishes may be followed thru with. It is a hopeful story with likable characters, all except the son, that is worth watching.

I didn't want to admit adored this movie. While I am not much for drama films,I was gripped with the elegant storytelling. Watching was easy, and I soon became invested in Ava and her journey. Performances-wise, the cast did a great job distracting from the minor in-synchronicities of the film's shaky camera work in spots. Skillen is a triple threat, though, as she also plays Ava (Skillen directed and wrote). Skillen gives Ava a sweet naivety and likeability that is solid and believable. A lovely sweet, touching film.

Ava is a sensitively made film anchored by compelling lead performances. The film and its lead, Catherane Skillen, draw you in quickly. It moves along at a good pace and you care about the characters; it's refreshing to see a film about a character like Skillen's. It's enjoyable and well-done. Kudos to Skillen and her team for their work.