'Where Hope Grows' [DVD+Digital]
(Danica McKellar, Herr Smith, David DeSanctis, Brooke Burns, William Zabka, Kristoffer Polaha, et al / DVD / PG-13 / 2015 / LGF)
Overview: A baseball player whose professional career was cut short due to his personal problems is suddenly awakened and invigorated by a young-man with Down syndrome who works at the local grocery store.
DVD Verdict: In what has made David DeSanctis become one of the first actors with Down syndrome to play a leading role in an English-language feature film, 'Where Hope Grows' epitomizes what I think we, as humans, are missing from life; so badly missing. It challenges us to see and act differently. To open our hearts to the possibilities of change from deep community. To see our incredible need for connection and meaning. Lead character Calvin (Kristoffer Polaha) needed "Produce" (David DeSanctis) as much as "Produce" needed Calvin. They filled a hole for each other. They were iron sharpening iron, each challenging the other to make them stronger.
'Where Hope Grows' makes me want to be the best version of myself. I learned a lot from "Produce" and encourage you all to take this journey and do the same. You will be rewarded with a great supporting cast that is immediately recognizable (Danica McKellar, William Zabka, Kerr Smith, Brooke Burns) while not stealing the film away from the central story. And that story is real, thoughtful, moving, funny, and filled with a sweet, hopefulness throughout. Simply put, this is what film should be and a prime example of why indie film needs to be supported. This is a Widescreen Presentation (2:40.1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Deleted Scenes
Stop the R-Word
Casting David DeSanctis
Audio Commentary with Writer and Director Chris Dowling and Actor David DeSanctis
DVD Purchase Link
www.LGF.com