Zoë Kelly's Rori is the heart-and-soul of the indie drama Stockton to Table Rock, a film you can check out right about now on Amazon Prime Video, an opportunity I'd suggest you take in the near future. Rori is 18-years-old, a girl approaching that transition from high school to life. She's tight in a relationship with Hailey (Gabrielle Lenberg), though high school is somewhat volatile and her home life, courtesty of mother Shelly (Jessica Ires Morris), is even more volatile. 

Stockton to Table Rock isn't always an easy film, though it shouldn't be. The film dramatizes the tumultuous relationship Rori has with her mother, a traumatic relationship that has defined much of Rori's childhood. As she nears graduation, the question becomes "Is forgiveness even possible?" 

Kelly gives an impressive turn as Rori, equal parts vulnerability and tight-fisted strength turning this coming-of-age flick into trauma-informed filmmaking and integrity being the name of the game throughout the film's 89-minute running time. 

A low-budget indie co-written and directed by Elliot Norton with both Kelly and Chuck Norton also here as writers, Stockton to Table Rock pulled me in and refused to let me go. There's not a lot of sugar-coating to be found here, though neither is this trauma porn. The film moves forward with a profound sense of emotional and physical urgency and an ache that is palpable. Morris similarly shines as Shelly, Rori's alcoholic mother who's humanized yet also undeniably impacted by her negative choices, addictions, and inability to commit to a healing journey. Stockton to Table Rock powerfully captures the gray areas that exist in these types of situations, refusing to cater to easy answers and simple judgments. 

Among the supporting players, I was quite taken by Gabrielle Lenberg's tender yet troubled Hailey, Marc Ewins's turn as Mr. Costlow, and an impressive Brooke Burton as Ms. Laird, the school's psychologist. I hate to single out anyone, to be honest, because this is a genuinely impressive ensemble cast. 

Lensing by Daniel Klamerus captures the volatile climate in which these characters live, yet Klamerus also captures the truth of these relationships and a naturalness that really amplifies the film's emotional rhythms throughout. The original score by Jesse Blake Rundle also serves as a wonderful companion for the film, guiding us through the film's narrative arc without ever defining it. 

Stockton to Table Rock is the kind of indie drama I love to discover. It's a film that is perhaps more successful because of its modest budget. Sometimes, the Hollywood touch ruins the naturalism of a film and this is a film that feels honest because it is honest. 

For those who've ever struggled to move forward out of the cycle of trauma or for those who've struggled with that transition from childhood to adulthood, Stockton to Table Rock is for sure a film to check out.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic