Above the Shadows

It's a solid b plus movie. They took the fantasy and ran with it and produced a realistically touching interpretation of what such an affliction would actually be like. Along with the fresh interpretation of the invisible person trope, the set design and world building was way more nuanced than I would expect for a fantasy romance.

Spoilers: This confirms yet again what a gem Olivia Thirlby is, and I've liked her since I I first saw her on film years ago. It is no mean feat to play a fantastic parable or metaphor -- or simile as her Mom told her early on -- rather than straight narrative real life. She felt invisible because she was shattered by the grief of losing her Mom at age 12. And she played it out that way, as that grief forced her away from everyone mentally, emotionally. The creativity by writer/director Myers in making that forced distance from family and everyone alike into "real" invisibility was both risky and refreshing. And did Olivia and Ritchson ever pull it off. It was not explained how she got invisible or how Shane was the only one who could see Holly because it was inexplicable, almost magical, but really a plot device to pull us in and like her as much as Emma Stone in "La La Land," and Alan as much as Sly Stallone in "Rocky." The point is if you think life should be smooth with an attitude of what can life do for me, you are set up to be smashed, made invisible to not just others but also yourself in hard times. But if you can take the blows and ask what can I do for others despite my pain, everything turns around and you become visible again to others -- and to yourself. I cared about these characters. Bravo for both creative and bang-up storytelling. The metaphor of the mixed martial arts cage for planet Earth also worked, as Shane both saw and accepted the beauty of not just the training required but also the thought symphony of what to do and when, when wrestling is melded with kick boxing in the cage. With preparation, you can get through it.

Being above the shadows is a curse Megan Fox, Olivia Thirlby, Alan Ritchson star in a sports drama with a supernatural twist to it Director Claudia Myers makes a sort of 'Ghost' meets 'Rocky' Holly grew up with her parents and two siblings But her mother got sick and passed away; as the years rolled by Holly literally started fading out of existence with no one around noticing Her being visible and remembered was gone All grown up Holly now has a chance to help someone, in this case it's a disgraced MMA fighter Shane Blackwell If she succeeds she can perhaps regain her stance in the world It stinks that Megan Fox doesn't show up until an hour and 6 minutes in with only 2 scenes and this acts more like a drama The fights are far and few in between which is a shame I really would've preferred more fun too with the whole invisible aspect Plus we never see Holly interacting with her brother and sister face-to-face even as an adult giving proper closure But Myers' heart is in the right place having a look at trauma affect people even the marginalized ones making them feel invisible Profound grief and monumental loss is a universal thing the film touches upon I just wish this could've been a more exciting combination of two genres because I've seen it done better and less lagging Performers are good even if the ending is a bit contrived and there's no explanation for the supposed metaphor presented

Decent story and pretty good acting. Is it wrong that I think Alan Ritchson's best performance was Thad Castle? Regardless he's an underrated actor who may be overshadowed by his imposing size and look. It's also a pretty good morality play about the dangers of being self-centered....if one cared to see it. 😉

Interesting premise, but that's it Bad actors, bad dialogue

It was a great feel good movie the plot was a bit predictable at times and sometimes the characters lacked depth, but it was overall an enjoyable watch if it looks interesting I'd definitely recommend you watch it.

Underrated gem. I'll never understand why Thirlby is not a bigger star as she consistently delivers strong performances. If you're looking for a literal interpretation, this won't be for you.

this was alright. i really like the idea/story & there were a couple scenes i thought they did really well, but overall i sort of just felt "meh" about it. i don't know that i'd recommend it, but it's a decent watch if it interests you.

While the premise was interesting and our lead protagonist provided a good performance, the overall execution was flawed. Every other actor was mediocre at best, the fight choreography was laughable, and the script left a lot to be desired. I love MMA, so I gave it a watch, but it was a waste of two hours.

This movie has an intriguing premise, and decent acting but just falls short of fully delivering.