THE MANDELA EFFECT

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to select theatres and VOD from writer/director David Guy Levy and Gravitas Ventures is a look at life of grief and another world with THE MANDELA EFFECT.

Brendan (Charlie Hofheimer) and wife Claire (Aleksa Palladino) are dealing with grief with the accidental death of their daughter Sam (Madeleine McGraw). Claire is trying to find ways to deal with all the emotions just getting by day to day and tries to get back to her business to keep from thinking about anything at all.

But Brendan notices that something is happening around him. Trying to talk to brother-in-law Matt (Robin Lord Taylor) about it, no one seems to notice what he does. From the names of things changing to feeling as if he is having visions, Brendan begins to look for the answers.

Discovering the Mandela Effect, he begins to see how that is possible with what he is experiencing. He learns that the Mandela Effect is basically false memories that are shared by a group of people. Part of this theory is the speculation about alternate realities as a cause for all the false memories. In Brendan's case, it could be caused by the trauma he is feeling about what has happened to his daughter in a split second.

Seeking even more answers, he turns to Dr. Fucks (Clarke Peters) to explain what he knows. Reluctant at first, it becomes clear that Brendan believes there is truth to the theory. When science can't completely answer his questions, he even turns to Pastor Isaac (Tim Ransom) to find some clarity.

The emotional torture is even worse because the world he is in is full of pain and sadness, but the effects of the other one is filled with fear of the unknown. Finally experiencing the "other" side and time with daughter Sam, the pull begins of how to find balance when no one else sees the unbalance!

Hofheimer as Brendan is clearly a man devastated by the loss of his daughter. As time goes by, he cannot let go of feeling that something is off. When he starts to notice the world seems to be glitching and instead of letting it bring more shadow into his life, Brendan goes after answers. What I enjoy most about Hofheimer's performance is that his character seeks answers from both faith and science and not many people would do both. There are moments where I know that personally I would have freaked out (the Berestain Bears moment truly gave my brain a "what the….").

Palladino as Claire buries herself in her work and doesn't really see what Brendan does. Not knowing how to talk to her about it, it becomes even a bigger wedge between them. I think the moment in the yard would have sent me the message that my husband was onto something.

Taylor as Matt is probably the sane person in the middle of insanity. He truly listens to Brendan and what his theories are and why. It would have been simple to stamp 'crazy' on his brother-in-law but instead he really does believe that something indescribable is happening to his family. Peters as Dr. Fuchs at first really doesn't want to talk about it all with anyone but Brendan is the guy who isn't about to let go without answers (I like those kind of characters!).

Other cast include Ptolemy Slocum as Manning, Vernee Watson as Nadine, Elena Campbell-Martinez as Ms. Garcia, Steven Brun as Daniel and Salme Geransar as Nasim Terhani.

THE MANDELA EFFECT is a thrill film that had me scratching my head because I wasn't sure where the story was going to go and man, once it got there I was all in. I also have to admit it had me looking into what others who study this phenomenon have to say about it and it was worth the time.

There are moments where the story just freezes as if to let us absorb everything going on and then jumps into light speed again, but this time somewhere else with the same characters. I wondered throughout the film how it was going to end and pleased that in this universe, it is possible to take a step back to see the bigger picture before moving forward - again.

The special effects are very cool and without giving to much away, there is one scene that took my breath away because in truth, it is so effective in being part of the story and bringing it all together. Trust me when I say you'll know it when you see it. So let THE MANDELA EFFECT take you on a ride into what is possible to some and reality to others.

In the end - take a trip down memory lane.