Review: Odd friendship dramedy ‘Moments of Clarity’ has its winning moments, thanks to a fine cast

A pair of misfits from a small town forge an unlikely friendship in the offbeat charmer “Moments of Clarity,” directed by Stev Elam. Rebellious pastor’s daughter Danielle (Lyndsy Fonseca) connects with sheltered oddball naif Claire (Kristin Wallace), whose mother Henrietta (Saxon Trainor) is the town agoraphobic.

Wallace takes a writing credit, along with Christian Lloyd and Cody Brown, in this story about two young women learning to spread their wings beyond their small worlds. Though Danielle dreams of global exploration beyond the house and congregation of her father (Mackenzie Astin), this particular adventure only takes them a few miles down the road, on a spontaneous road trip to replace her vintage film camera.

The journey is far more emotional than physical, as Claire makes a best friend in Danielle, reconnects with her grandparents, finds independence away from her mother, and discovers a few deep, dark family secrets along the way.

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There’s a strong sexual overtone in the presentation of Claire’s naivete about the world. It becomes clear that she’s not necessarily so innocent, as she develops her own sense of sexuality even if she doesn’t quite understand it. It offers an edginess to this fluffy, upbeat comedy, though some of the situations seem reverse engineered for shock value to feed this theme.

However, this odd friendship dramedy has its winning moments, thanks to a fine cast, including Eric Roberts and Marguerite Moreau, and a bold visual design that underlines the quirky and fantastical tone.

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‘Moments of Clarity’

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Playing: Arena Cinema, Hollywood