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Nuanced and intimate, Spring Forward tells the story of Paul (Liev Schreiber) and Murph (Ned Beatty), two city park workers who bond over a series of quiet encounters. Comprising of seven snapshots throughout a year, the film highlights the friendship and trust that grows between them and how their lives are enhanced by each other's insights. Shot in sequence over the course of twelve months, the film benefits enormously from director Tom Gilroy's experience on Ken Loach's Land and Freedom. The performances are outstanding—Beatty and Schreiber hit the deepest and subtlest of notes, obviously benefiting from the wisdom that accrues from inhabiting characters for such an extended period of time. Channelling Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and the works of Jack Kerouac and Raymond Carver, Spring Forward is one of the few recent US productions with a great big heart.
"Gilroy, with deep respect, is exploring something profound. A beautifully realised film that breaks the mold." —Sundance Film Festival