Following a year on the international film festival circuit, Susan Rodgers’ first scripted feature film Still The Water is seeing a Canada and US release at the end of April. A sorrowful dig into the messy nature of small-town east coast life, this gorgeously crafted tale of Prince Edward Island makes a strong impact emotionally and visually. Following the ever-down-on-his-luck hockey player Jordie MacAulay, we are privy to his family’s pendulous spiral at Jordie’s return home and all of the old wounds that he brings with him.
Still The Water speaks to a number of eternally topical issues to those living on Canada’s east coast. Messy familial ties, finding the meaning of self in a small pond, and the sheer struggle of making ends meet are always in the air. Rodgers has captured in her writing a humble, conversational back and forth that feels so familiar and real. Her direction has such a clear vision from start to finish, taking what so many would see as mundanity and highlighting the poetic weight that resides within. At times early on there is some jumpiness to the pacing, and many events apparently occurring between scenes can make it hard to keep track, but it settles into a slow and steady burn soon enough.
The film features a cast of strongly rooted performers, the stark reality of their world maintained through stoicism and subtle turmoil. Jordie (Ry Barrett) makes for an interesting vehicle to explore the world through- often quiet and avoidant to the point of one-sided conversations, it is tough to root for him and his seemingly transgressive nature at first. But there is a great deal of beauty in the thin cracks that form on his veneer, and the tender moments that shine through speak to Barrett’s careful strength in letting this rough stone bleed.
Much of the growth along the film’s trajectory comes from Jordie’s interactions with his older brother Nicky (Colin Price), as well as Abby Ryan (Christina McInulty), who finds herself in a hard place between the two brothers. Still The Water masterfully explores the pain that can lie just beneath the surface of small-town domestic life; through the vulnerability and trust that Abby shares with Jordie and the raw intensity that Nicky lets out towards his brother, the complex depth of these stoic characters hoists the themes of the film steadily throughout. And on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, younger brother Noah (Spencer Graham) brims with hopeful life despite the weight of the family’s circumstances. While still tinged with the grief that centers much of Barrett, Price, and McInulty’s performances, Graham injects much-needed liveliness and humour that wonderfully balances the tone of the film.
The score for Still The Water could not be more well suited. With original music by Chris Corrigan, the intimate, contemplative folk that underpins the majority of scenes is a perfect pairing for the content. Not only regionally representative, but it also gives elegance to the rugged nature of the characters’ lives. A repeating track featuring a bass riff and alt-rock influences gives ritual-like energy to the scenes that take place in the rink, and there is a strongly grounding quality to the diegetic music heard within the bars and restaurants of the town.
The film also includes a track by legendary Prince Edward Island songwriter Lennie Gallant, “Blood and Salt Water,” which has, in turn, gained a music video featuring footage from the film.
“It’s kind of a gift when a cool story and characters are already formed, and as a songwriter, you’re asked to write something reflecting what’s going on,” says Gallant. “I was quite happy with the way the song turned out, but then, having Susan like it so much she wanted to shoot a video for it was pretty awesome. There are some great players on the recording which was produced by Daniel Ledwell, and then having Rose Cousins lend her voice to the chorus was surely the gild on the lily of the whole thing.”
It would be remiss to not give resounding praise to the visuals of the film. DOP Christopher Ball captures the natural majesty of PEI as well as the stillness of the small town gorgeously. Every area is given great significance: from the boatyard where we first see the MacAulay’s notorious father to the lonely home where Jordie boards, the calculated movements and beautiful framing truly capture fire. No scene is more evident of this than the moment Jordie and Nicky find themselves in their empty rink, swirling with mist and captured in brilliant light, as they both lay their hearts bare. Nicky draws an analogy of hockey rinks as catholic churches, and it could easily come off as hackneyed- but the insurmountable beauty of the exchange and its visual impact truly make it a moment in a sacred place.
Still The Water paints a familiar picture of life out east. There’s hockey, there’s fishing, there’s drinking, and there are hard times. But Susan Rodgers has woven a resonant tapestry for viewers from the thread that runs through her home province. She has pried the vulnerable underbelly out from under a regional archetype that is invariably on-guard, ever-vigilant against a bleeding heart. And in doing so, she has opened up conversations about guilt, healing, and acceptance- and reminded us how much peace is waiting just beyond those talks.
The film will be celebrating its official international release with a special Facebook Live Stream Party featuring content from the film, interviews with the director, cast and crew, and more on Tuesday, April 27th, 2021.