Céline Roustan
It’s summertime in a small West Virginia town. School is out and most of the kids battle the heat everyday at the local public pool. After exchanging a few looks and then communicating via text, high schooler Nelly and local drug dealer Dane meet up for a date. In West by God, director Scott Lazer paints a moving and compelling portrait of a first date, with its fair share of awkwardness and vulnerabilities, carried by two fleshed out characters brought to life with stellar performances.
It might be because I first saw this in the Winter, but from the opening scene I was immediately captivated and immersed in the atmosphere of this small town where everyone gathers at the pool in the Summer. Inspired by screenwriter Juli Blachowiak’s own life experience, it is Lazer who was born in West Virginia who pushed to set the film there. “I thought it would match the world we hoped to create – this remote community set against a lush, natural backdrop – and it’s also a hidden gem that’s not often seen onscreen”, he explains. He also adds that the benefit of working with a small crew was that they could film daily business at their locations allowing “the local culture to seep into the frame, which gives the film an authenticity that was important to me to capture”.
On their date by the side of a lake, Nelly and Dane share some awkward moments, but there’s an obvious mutual attraction.
Not only does the remoteness of the location makes for the perfect backdrop to the burgeoning romance between the two protagonists, by cutting them out of the world, the film is also hard to place in time, isolating them in their own bubble. This is reinforced by the fact that the most emotionally powerful moments happen inside his car, acting like a safe space where they can both be honest.
First dates are hardly a new topic, the bored teenager on Summer break and the edgy, dangerous small time drug dealer could almost be a trope. Lazer escapes this pitfall however, with the emotional depth and nuance of the screenplay elevating the film and its relatable aspects. When they are alone, both Nelly and Dane can be themselves and break away from all the cliches. She is actually quiet, observant and far from shallow, ready for her adult life to begin, while under the surface he is an incredibly vulnerable and lost young adult, who already yearns for his younger years.
Aphrodite Armstrong puts in a truly captivating performance as Nelly is West by God
Both Aphrodite Armstrong and Kyle Riggs, who portray the main characters, give beautiful and magnetic performances heightened by their sizzling chemistry. Riggs peels the layers of his character with a remarkable authenticity, making it impossible not to be moved by his choice to introduce her to his vulnerable side when he shares a favorite song with her. The audience now knows that what they have is real and genuine and any romcom fan, like me, won’t help but let out a little “awww” at such a defining moment. Armstrong does not have many lines, so builds her character through her eyes and her facial expressions, yet, she probably has the most important line of the film, one that defines their relationship. Going against the usual tropes, he is unafraid to show a weaker side of himself while she does not hesitate to assert her power in this situation. Her confident reply of “I know”, when Dane admits he “likes” her, wrapping the film on such a memorable note.
Ahead of its online debut as a Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere, West by God premiered in the Generation category of the 2022 Berlinale before picking up a Special Jury Recognition award for Outstanding Performances at SXSW and being selected as part of the Palm Springs ShortFest line-up. Lazer is currently working on expanding this short into a feature film, while shooting two short documentaries this year.