Movie Review-----HIGHER GROUND

This one is gonna stick with me for a while. Vera Farmiga stars in and directs this sensitive and searching chronicle describing a woman's lifetime journey of faith--one that initially leads her to join a fundamentalist sect and then leave it again years later. Adapted from the spiritual memoir THIS DARK WORLD by Carolyn Briggs, the film looks deeply into human doubt and certainty, and the challenge of trying to match our lives with our spiritual beliefs. When the movie ended, I felt uncontrollably moved by it. If I had allowed myself to begin crying, it would have been in the weeping mode. I found this film to be very profound and incredibly thought provoking. I needed a group discussion afterwards, but the dogs unfortunately didn't get as much out of the movie as I did. Vera Farmiga's performance is absolutely riveting. She is one of those actresses who can say volumes without uttering a sound. Some of the finest NYC actors are in this film....Norbert Leo Butz, Donna Murphy, and Bill Erwin are just a few. This was a movie that will haunt me. I can't recommend it enough.