KINGDOM COME (2011)

Edited, Written & Directed By: Paiman Kalayeh & John Lyons Murphy 
Cinematography By: Patrick Kelly, Jeff Maksym, Steven Parker, Miguel Drake-McLaughlin &  Adrian Selkowitx 


Featuring: Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Leigh Cook, Daniel Gilles, Robert Townsend, Marc Forseter, Illeana Douglas, Selma Blair, Edward Burns, Bruce Campbell, Lizzy Caplan, Seymour Cassel, Don Cheadle, Tom DiCillo, Alan Cummings, Keith Gordon, Seth Green, John Hawkes, thomas Jane, Nicole Holfcener, Eddie Jemison, Harry Lennix, Breckin Meyer, Kathy Najimy, Ron Perlman, Tim Roth, Kevin Smith, Boaz Yakin, Morgan Spurlock

The documentary follows the multi-year journey of a first-time director and his producer through the challenging process of raising financing for their independent film entitled Broken Kingdom This individual study of indie perseverance interweaves itself with rare and intimate interviews from over thirty experienced filmmakers and actors sharing their own personal stories of challenge and triumph in indie film.

While the serves as a good enough example of the many challenges trying to make an independent film faces. Especially heating war stories from other more prominent director's, actors, producers which really helps paints a full picture. As we hear the advice and it is contrasted with showing the genesis and work trying to put a independent film together.

While we watch this project unfold. They face every other problem. It seems that they can. Which makes for riveting viewing as the audience pulls for the film sand the people behind it. So as he faces a new problem there are stories form those who have faced similar.

Though the filmmakers do no favors by making the project inherintly anti-mainstream. Now I can be on the side of artistic freedom and telling a story that you have a passion for, but this project seems more like a vanity project to prove to himself and to show others. He has some kind of spiritual and artistic depth. Sure he suffers for it, but to me at least he comes off as petty. As he acts privileged and refuses to work on anything else that might actually help fund the project. Also have him gain income and network, but forget that he must stay true to his vision.

To me if you have true passion. No matter how long it takes, you will push for it to be made, but not be so single handed and close off.

So that most of the time, he more or less comes off as a spoiled brat. Having a tantrum as he feels he deserves it is owed this film. He wants us to feel sorry as he continuously breaks down due to circumstances and they are really of his own creation.

Along the way you realize this film will eventually get made. Yet you still don't have faith in it as much as he does or as the documentary wants you too. It feels like a supplementary feature on the films dvd. As it seems anything that can go wrong did. While the camera ms are there to record it or at least let you hear about it from the filmmakers.

The film doesn't sound as interesting or as deep as he seems to think it's especially as he is directing, writing and starring (of course) along with his wife. In fact the film seems more self serving under the guise of making a film that will be about something or bring about world peace or an understanding of a culture.

The documentary is an eye opener and a primer for showing how hard it can be to make a film. It's an education into independent film. For those who don't know, but i didn't particularly enjoy the subject who was chosen as he comes off nearly pretentious. So much so that he upset me half the time throughout the viewing of the film. At least it had an affect on me to get a reaction.

Especially once he manages to get funding. It just feels convenient and also just so selfish in the way it is gained.


GRADE: C+