Neptune Cowboy (2008)

Love and hate. Violence and charity. Hope and despair. In the small desert town of New Jericho, Brandi and her daughter Melissa struggle to find their way back to each other through a maze of contemporary social issues. As Brandi desperately seeks a normal family relationship for herself and her daughter, Melissa's father (Levi) is tormented by his own inner demons created years before while living under the repressive thumb of his strict fundamentalist preacher father. Then one day a drifter/musician (the Neptune Cowboy) wanders into New Jericho and begins to gently raise the consciousness of the town with his simple tunes and enriching philosophy. As he challenges the status quo he inspires those he encounters to re-examine their long-held beliefs, hatreds and prejudices to instead reach for higher ideals. Brandi is intrigued by this strange newcomer, and their friendship ignites into a passionate romance- much to the disapproval of the previously non-committal Levi. The plot and action of "Neptune Cowboy" are driven by the male leads and their differing ways of searching for love and acceptance. But the emotional heart of the story centers on the journey of Brandi and Melissa. As a character-driven romantic drama, the film explores some of the darker contemporary social issues. But it provides the viewer with a life-affirming, consciousness-challenging and entertaining experience that is both artistically and thematically beautiful. As we are drawn into the story by the heart-rendering experiences of its characters, we are reminded that "All acts of evil can be traced back to someone's failure to love."