Lost on Purpose (2013)

Lost on Purpose: Directed by Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms. With Jane Kaczmarek, C. Thomas Howell, James Lafferty, Aaron Hill. Our story takes place in the fertile, San Joaquin Valley. Fueled by gin and sheer determination, Elizabeth James (Ms. Liz) operates her third generation dairy farm outside the region’s domineering co-ops. To help keep the place afloat, she’s employed five renegade ranch hands. These boys have put a pin in responsibility and opted to stretch out the party as long as possible. Unfortunately, women, booze, and fisticuffs can only lead to one outcome: trouble. With the dairy farm reporting its third straight deficit year, Ms Liz is attracting some unwanted attention. Delbert Furgeson, the owner of the area’s largest co-op, is pushing to buy her out. This only incenses the prideful Ms Liz and starts a volatile feud between the two. Sharing the narrative are the ranch hands. Randel and Rooker Lee are brothers caught in the crossfire of their parents’ separation. Leslie Williams and Jackie Remmington are aspiring musicians, trying not to get caught up in their own success. Wade Kitchanski is at ends with his father, striving to find his own path outside the family paint business. As the boys struggle to find direction, Ms Liz and Delbert Furgeson launch into a full-blown war. When the dust settles, we realize it’s not simply a story about winners and losers or finding your way. It’s about purpose: to find what you believe in, through change, through loss, even if it’s the small things. Then hold on to it and fight for it, because in the end that’s all you have.

“I was immediately reminded of u0026quot;The Last Picture Showu0026quot; and u0026quot;Hudu0026quot; after seeing u0026quot;Lost on Purpose.u0026quot; Itu0026#39;s a drama that takes a truthful glimpse into our changing country and tells it without gimmicks and bull-crap, unlike u0026quot;Promised Landu0026quot; by Gus Van Sant. It is a soulful journey full of insight and integrity. Although the area of Central California this is set is not necessarily the prettiest in the state, the filmmakers find the beauty of the land and the pathos of its people. They donu0026#39;t make a lot of films like this any more…but thank goodness the Nelms brothers have. Not sure if the rest of the audience recognized J. Robert Spencer from Broadwayu0026#39;s u0026quot;Jersey Boys,u0026quot; but I sure did. Heu0026#39;s a sensational stage talent and great here in a small role. Phenomenal music by All The Real Girls as well and a charming performance by the musician, Peter Donovan. Heu0026#39;s like John Cougar Mellencamp in Chuck Tayloru0026#39;s. Kudos as well to great secondary performances from Michelle Lang and Michael Lawson, whom I immediately recognized from HBOu0026#39;s u0026quot;Enlightened.u0026quot;”