First up is AFTER THE STORM, a two-hour television movie airing on the USA Network. It is an adaptation of a short story of the same name by Ernest Hemingway.
AFTER THE STORM stars Benjamin Bratt (LAW AND ORDER); Armand Asanti (MAMBO KINGS), Simone-Elise Girard (THE HUNGER), Mili Avital (KISSING A FOOL) and Jennifer Beals (FLASHDANCE).
Set in the 1930s, the story takes place on an island in the Bahamas and was filmed entirely on location in Belize. Bratt stars as Arno, an American who left a promising career on Wall Street for the simpler life. He makes his living scavenging for junk to sell. Avital co-stars as Coquina, a former love interest of Arno's who returns to the island to take care of her sick grandmother. Her presence stirs old feelings in Arno and he soon finds himself trying to win her heart.
Fortune soon turns for Arno as he discovers a sunken ship of a Chicago gangster carrying a fortune in gold and jewels. Due to various misfortunes, which I won't divulge here, Arno soon finds himself teamed with an unlike partner, Avital (Armand Asante). The two do not trust each other but are forced to form an uneasy alliance to try and retrieve the treasure. Avitals' wife, and Arno's former lover, (Simone-Elise Girard) is along for the ride as well.
Told in typical Hemmingway fashion, AFTER THE STORM is a story of love, greed, temptation and betrayal. Unlike many films of today, the plot takes to unfold as we are first introduced to the various characters in the story. This makes the film more enjoyable, however, as we come to care about the characters even before we get to the most suspenseful part of the story.
In my line of work I have to watch and review many television programs. Frankly, many of them aren't very good. It is a rare treat for me when I can not figure out upcoming parts of a plot or when I am left guessing about the ending of a program until the very end. AFTER THE STORM is a just such a treat. I recommend it very highly.
AFTER THE STORM is scheduled to air on the USA Network on Tuesday, March 20 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. It will be rebroadcast on March 25 at 5 p.m. ET/PT and again on March 31 at 3 p.m. ET/PT. For more information on this film check out http://www.usanetworks.com.
