Film Review – The Sabbatical

“The Sabbatical” is a Canadian production. One can identify a country of origin though accents and locations, but there’s a special comedic vibe to the picture that could only originate from Canada. Co-writer/director Brian Stockton (“I Heart Regina”) has fashioned his own take on “Lost in Translation,” though he doesn’t submit the same whispered screen poetry, working with a small budget and a cast of unknowns. Still, the overall vibe of “The Sabbatical” is lively and highly amusing, asking questions of aging and purpose while tracking a wonderfully sly sense of humor in the largely improvised feature, The helmer respects the talents of his cast yet pushes onward with this study of a mid-life crisis, creating distinct personalities and memorable reactions to even the slightest hint of a challenge, approaching an exploration of personal inventory with steady laughs and authentic behavior.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com