For me, it was Mrs. Booth. She was my high school English teacher, and she would eventually become my speech coach. From introducing me to the writing of James Baldwin to reminding me of my worth despite my consistently mediocre finishes in speech meets, Mrs. Booth became one of those teachers whose influence on my life has been profound. I sought her out for my graduating class's 30th year reunion. A few years ago, I was inducted into my high school's hall of fame and there she was. 

It still brings me to tears. 

Written and directed by Jackson Cooperman, Daydream is a warmhearted and nostalgic 70-minute motion picture drawn from Cooperman's own memories of sixth grade. To make it even more captivating, his teacher in the film, Mrs. Aimette, is played by that real-life sixth grade teacher who so deeply influenced his life. 

C'mon folks. Give it an "Awwwww." 

Daydream isn't a Hollywood blockbuster. It's not a film you're going to find in a multiplex. If anything, Daydream feels more like The Wonder Years and could easily be adapted into an episodic project. It's Cooperman's honesty and authenticity that makes this a winning film, a low-budget effort that you still want to watch even with all its quirks, limitations, and cinematic foibles. 

Nick (Kieran Patrick) is a bit of a reclusive middle-school student who's clearly carrying a heavier load but doesn't, maybe can't, talk about it. Mrs. Aimette notices. She assigns a personal essay about someone who inspired him. He chooses his mother. You can feel this is a heavy choice. Fortunately, Mrs. Aimette can see this is a heavy choice and intervenes. 

The compassion reaches Nick. He slowly begins to blossom. He begins to deal with loss and grief and a father who's wrapped the entire family in a mask of silence. 

Some of us, certainly myself and probably Nick, survived because someone understood and dared to reach out. My Mrs. Booth was Jackson Cooperman's Mrs. Aimette (and, hey, Nick's too!). Patrick is wonderfully cast as Nick, avoiding histrionics in favor if a more subdued performance that feel honest throughout. Kevin C. Carr shines as Nick's father, tackling a difficult character with uncomfortable tension and a hint of grace. Mrs. Aimette feels like a Mrs. Aimette worthy of a narrative feature wrapped around her and the safe, caring world she created for a young child needing to know that someone cared and to heal. 

Brian Wennersten's lensing is intimate and familiar, comfortable and warm without ever becoming schmaltzy. Daydream is a difficult film to review, a film worthy of viewing because of Cooperman's storytelling and an appealing ensemble yet a film that also for sure shows its low budget throughout. That's not always a bad thing, of course, and it's not really a bad thing here. Daydream won't necessarily be the best film you've ever seen, but it will likely be a film you'll long remember.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic