Floating ...

Floating, 1999 staring Norman Reedus, Chad Lowe, Will Lymann and Sybil Temchen

Written and Directed by William Roth

1999 Best Jury Award: Best Acting Performance: Norman Reedus

1999 Cinematography Award Wolfgang Held

1999 Best of Festival Award: William Roth

Several things immediately make "Floating" different than any other Norman Reedus parts of the time. Tenth movie out, released after "Boondock Saints", a couple years after "Six Ways Till Sunday", the character Mr. Reedus portrayed in "Floating" was very much different. He wasn’t the “bad guy” or villain often mentioned by Mr. Reedus, citing “he just has that look.” The man portrayed didn’t kill anybody in this part, nowhere near. His character, Van, was lost, looking for his own identify as he was abandoned by his mother, rejected by his girlfriend and trapped in a relationship with his father that was both dependent and abusive.

This was a coming of age film, very much different than any other part and not requiring a fire arm.

Van, the hero was facing every nightmare a kid could face the year before college. Loss of the life he knew, a mother who walked away and never looked back, taking all the family money. Van lost his house, his security, his chance at the college he wanted to attend. A swimmer who wanted to be on the team at school, he now spends his days on the pond he has always called home.

"I had it. A white picket fence life. Good friends. Good family. Good life. And my dad blew it. Screwed himself up in a car accident. We were kind of depressed for awhile. But now we are doing alright." ~Van

Everything about Van’s life is sacrifice – and he is so damn good at it, even when he is miserable. When his underlining anger surfacing, he still manages to be there for everyone who needs him. He cares for everyone he loves. From handing his father Red Five paints instead the Red Six, to trying to reach the girlfriend who treated him so cruelly, to his new friend who has his own a secret. When Van did find it out, it didn’t even faze the relationship. He stood by Doug to the end.

Van was a good, good guy. Lost, but searching, hoping for an answer that was out there somewhere and not even sure where he was supposed to look.

Trivia: I do believe it is the only time where Mr. Reedus’ tat on his chest was altered. Also, in most stills, it switches sides.