The Missing Peace

There are many short films out there being made by talented men and women. That being said, some are extraordinary in what they convey in condensed version. I had the pleasure of watching director/writer Michael Raymond-James’ movie The Missing Peace and it was so well done that it had me enamored what with everything meant. It was unique in how it was filmed and the thought process behind the story stood out. It was unlike the short films I am used to watching. It was also a double whammy for the simple fact that it tackles addiction. We need more awareness around many epidemics in this world that are not being talked about. Making movies, which people can relate to, can not only help but save lives.  

The Missing Peace stars Ty Alexander as Jackson, a man looking for his sister in the streets full of addicts.  He portrays a grieving brother searching for his sibling, still hoping she is surving in a world of sadness. You are provided with an intense glimpse of what the streets are like and why some people are out there. Some are addicts, some are veterans and some just did not have support they needed and life got too hard. It is a very real and serious problem worldwide, but especially here in America. This role was made for Alexander and this story takes viewers on a journey from the perspective of the loved one, which is not what we are used to seeing – the suffering on the other side.

As I stated above, Ty Alexander was genius. Actually, the entire cast was just great in each role they played. All cast such as Naiya Ortiz who plays Alice, Joseph Russo who plays Detective Bisceglie, Dave Shalansky as Ben Jacobs, Javier Molina as Jesus and Gabriel Furman as Detective Marco were artfully performed. They all made this film what it is, and I believe you have to know exactly what you are looking for in a film to choose the right people to play your characters. You will not blink during this film. It might seem longer than some other short films, but you are eager to see all that is featured in watching a film like this. Some of my favorite scenes were with Jackson and the fly every morning and his character in the streets helping people – doing what he can for strangers to make their life just a little bit easier. And it all matters.  

The immensely talented actor, writer and director Michael Raymond-James not only wrote this film with Gabriel Furman as well but he directed it. Michael has what every actor/artist should have and that is multifaceted skills and talent. He plays his characters so well that you rarely blink. He has always had this presence on screen that makes you want more. I was not surprised to see that his filmmaking was just as good as any other work that he creates in his space. An award-winning short film it is and beyond.

I recommend highly that everybody run to whatever film festival they can to see The Missing Peace. Keep an eye on it as well as every project Michael Raymond-James creates. It is simply magic. The movie takes you on a sad journey, but always some form of peace comes with it (no pun intended). It not only creates awareness, but to do it with such grace is not easy. And to do it in a way that we are not used to seeing on screen is exciting as well. How often do we see the other sides to addiction? We usually see the rock bottom viewpoint of the addict, but we also need to see all vantage points – how family and friends react and take it, what they do every single day, ow they live, the searching and the wondering. It is the deep needing to know if someone is alive and okay. It makes us asks so many questions. Definitely an eye opener.  Leave it to Michael Raymond-James to create a film that you do not often get to experience in the way he approached this entire project from start to finish. He is brilliant and so is The Missing Peace. Check it out and share the film. It might just even help you in your life journey or someone you know. Films like these can often save lives, even if it might not seem that way after you watch it.