Adapted from Jim Cummings’ short film of the same name, “Thunder Road” follows Jim Arnaud, a grieving Texas police officer having a meltdown after the death of his mother. Everything he is struggling with in both his personal and professional lives come crashing down around him when he loses his only sense of stability.
Jim Cummings really does an excellent job of portraying the emotions of a son who misses his mother and of a father struggling to connect with his young daughter (Kendal Farr). He’s angry and hurt, but he’s also confused. He’s trying to push past his grief to be there for his daughter and her needs, but doesn’t know how. There is so much he has to fix in his life, and he blames it on missing his mother; but somewhere in his mind he knows his mother’s death is not the reason for his mistakes.
The opening scene at his mother’s funeral introduces us to the complicated character that Jim is. He is having a mental breakdown right in front of his friends and family. He knows he is breaking down but cannot seem to stop himself. Every word spoken is a trigger to him. Cummings gives a believable performance as someone who is desperately trying to hold it together but cannot stop the flood of emotions and stress that are crashing at the gates.
Despite her mother being a terrible role model, Jim’s daughter usually prefers to be at her house. Jim goes about caring for his daughter so awkwardly that it pushes her away from him. He does not know how to stand on his own or be a single parent, and she can sense it. She will ask him to play a game with her and he will say no because he assumes he won’t understand it or be good at it. He is not up to date with her life; he doesn’t know simple details like what her current favorite color is or how she likes to dress for school.
There is a such an even blend of dark comedy and drama in “Thunder Road” that it allows the film to be both touching and humorous. Jim Cummings has a dry sense of humor that he sprinkles into the script at just the right moments. It’s enough to break up some of the more serious scenes while still maintaining the emotional core of the film. The comedic moments never feel out of place, but flow right in with the heavier emotions the film deals with.
There is a lot of heart in this story too; even with Jim’s shortcomings as a father, he tries in his own way to build a relationship with his daughter. He is awkward and uncertain, but he loves his kid and continuously tries to make her happy.
Grief and stress are tricky to deal with because no two people experience either in the same way, but Jim Cummings does an excellent job portraying how it effects a person’s mental stability. A hidden gem that I definitely recommend.
“Thunder Road” is available to stream or rent through YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, and Google Play.
