Above the Shadows

You might think that the combination of a delicate fantasy with MMA fight scenes would not work, but Claudia Myers brings it together seamlessly, with a sure sense of story and tone.

The savvy smarts within don't quite sustain the running time and, much like its protagonist, the film becomes transparent in its motives and sentimentality.

Thirlby gives a good performance as someone who finds it easier to remain a non-person than to make any effort to fix her life. But the more Holly comes into view, the blander her character becomes.

Sadly, the answers that emerge from this crisis fail to give any satisfying literal explanation to the film's central metaphor - and the metaphor itself seems misplaced.

Fine performances by Thrilby and Ritchson make the invisibility fantasy real enough for us to think about the trauma that marginalized - invisible - people experience.

Myers spins a unique story in Above the Shadows, exploring grief and identity in an almost comic book-like way.

Above the Shadows is an interesting journey that is well worth taking.

Slow-burn fantasy/romance has some sex, sports violence.

You just have to go with it, but Above the Shadows will reward you for that journey.

There are plenty of contrivances and an ending that is a bit of a head-scratcher but Myers manages the rare feat of examining profound grief and monumental loss in novel, touching way.