Fly Away (film)
Encyclopedia
Fly Away is a 2011 Independent American dramatic film
written and directed by Emmy Award
-winning Janet Grillo, and starring Beth Broderick
, Ashley Rickards
, Greg Germann
, JR Bourne, Reno
, Elaine Hall, and Zachariah Palmer.
Made as a SAG Ultra-Low Budget Independent Film, and shot in 14 days, Fly Away premiered as 1 of 8 out of 2000 submissions in Dramatic Competition at the South by Southwest Film Festival
in Austin, Texas
in March, 2011.
The film won Best Film and Special Jury Prize for Performance (Ashley Rickards) at the Arizona International Film Festival
in April 2011, and Honorable Mention from the prestigious Voice Awards, sponsored by the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA).
Fly Away opened in limited theatrical release in key cities in April 2011, Autism Awareness Month. It received excellent reviews in leading journals including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York Observer, Huffington Post, Variety and Hollywood Reporter. Several critics called for Academy Award nominations.
At the end of April 2010, Fly Away became available in US and Canada via iTunes, NetFlix, Amazon and Video on Demand Time Warner/Comcast, through New Video /Flatiron Films. The grassroots outreach campaign was in association with Autism Speaks
, which received 10% of all proceeds.
The film's screenplay won the award for the Best International Screenplay from the 2010 Swansea Bay Film Festival in Wales
.
) is awakened by wails of pain, coming from another room. Slowly, she pulls herself out of bed and goes to the source; her autistic
teenage daughter Mandy (Ashley Rickards
).
Mandy is suffering an anxiety attack, as she has almost every night for months. Jeanne instructs her daughter to “use her strategies.” Finally, Jeanne distracts her out of this fit by singing a familiar lullaby: “Lady bug, lady bug, fly away home.”
The next morning, Jeanne struggles to dress her 15 year-old daughter, who can’t yet do so by herself, and to board her onto the awaiting school bus. Afterwards, she walks their family beagle, while receiving a cell phone call from her free-lance business partner, Sue (Denise Dowse). They’re under pressure to deliver a high-profile cost analysis report to a major client. Jeanne jumps into the task with characteristic determination. Despite Sue’s protest, Jeanne promises the client they will deliver it by Monday.
But her work is soon interrupted by a call from the school. Mandy’s had another violent fit, disrupting the class. Jeanne rushes to the school, and encounters the dedicated but gruff principal, Liz Howell (Reno
), who suggests this might not be the right placement for Mandy. Since Mandy’s failed in three different schools over the past two years, Jeanne is resolute to keep her in this one.
Desperate for help, Jeanne calls Mandy’s father, Peter (JR Bourne), asking if he could take Mandy for the weekend. He makes his usual excuses, but then surprises them by showing up, and sweeping Mandy off to the park. Jeanne is enjoying a rare moment of peace when Peter calls, in great distress. Mandy’s had another fit, attacking yet another child on the playground. Jeanne rushes to the rescue, and takes control of the situation.
The next day, Jeanne takes a break to walk her dog and meets a new neighbor, Tom (Greg Germann
). He’s charming, and sparks begin to fly. Jeanne remembers that she is a woman, not just a function. Then her cell phone rings and it’s the school, once again. Mandy’s had another fit and Jeanne rushes off, leaving Tom behind and bewildered.
This time, Mandy’s fit was so extreme that she is suspended for a week. Jeanne is beside herself. Over the next few days, her world becomes even more unhinged, as she struggles to complete her report, while attending to Mandy’s round-the-clock needs. It’s an impossible task, and she fails. The report is hastily done and she is fired.
Mandy has another fit and is kicked out of the school. Jeanne’s only option is to enroll her child in a therapeutic residential facility. But how can she? Mandy’s body might be mature, but her mind and spirit is that of a young child. How can she abandon such a vulnerable girl to strangers? Driving Mandy back from their final confrontation with Liz Howell, Jeanne contemplates veering off the road into a tree, and ending their suffering. She stops herself, last minute. In a poignant moment of surprising attunement, Mandy consoles her mother, singing to Jeanne as she had been sung to; “Fly away home…”
The next day, Jeanne takes Mandy with her to the dog park. Tom is there as well. Surprisingly, he is charmed by Mandy’s eccentricity, and offers to take them all out for pizza. Unused to flirtatious attention from a man, Jeanne refuses. But Mandy’s enthusiasm wins out.
They have a lovely time and Tom escorts them home, where he engages in delightful play with Mandy. Later, over a cup of tea, he and Jeanne grow closer. But when he moves his hand to take hers, Jeanne freezes. Why would he want to get involved with her, and this engulfing struggle? And if she cared about him, how could she let him? Rebuffed, Tom leaves the house…and her life. Overcome by the sacrifice she has made, yet again, Jeanne sucks up her sorrow and forges on.
In the days to come, Mandy and Jeanne become increasingly unable to cope. While walking their dog, Mandy breaks away and with unexpected speed, runs off. Jeanne cannot find her. For hours, Mandy is lost and Jeanne is desperate. Until Tom arrives, returning her. He found Mandy hiding in the dog park. Jeanne’s gratitude hints at renewed possibility between them.
At last, Jeanne realizes that the residential facility is Mandy’s last, best chance. She suggests it to Peter. They meet with a professional advisor, to discuss this difficult choice. Although she suggested it, Jeanne is anguished at the thought of losing her child. She can’t bring herself to “sending her away.” In the parking lot after the meeting, Jeanne sees a plane over-head. The sight of it flying freely causes an internal shift.
Jeanne drives Mandy miles away to visit the Boarding School. The facility is gracious, and the staff is kind. As she walks the inviting grounds with Mandy, they hold hands. And realize that both of their lives can now begin.
.
The Los Angeles Times
wrote that "The lovely, heartbreaking Fly Away benefits from superb performances and a gripping story managed with simplicity and grace by writer-producer-director Janet Grillo." The New York Times wrote: "A defiantly unsentimental look at the complex codependency between a harried single mother and her severely autistic daughter."
Rex Reed of The New York Observer
wrote about Ashley Rickard's performance: "In a class by herself, she deserves, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. Not since Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker has any actor portrayed a handicapped child (especially one with autism) with the same depth of passion and realism."
The Huffington Post commended both Beth Broderick and Ashley Rickard for their performances: "Broderick plays Jeanne with a lost look on her face. She is overwhelmed by her circumstances, but is determined to persevere...In stark counterpoint to Jeanne is Mandy, the autistic daughter who is not like most of us. Mandy is played by Ashley Rickards, a young lady who should win an Academy Award for best supporting actress. She is that convincing. Her performance is both frightening and wonderful. Director Grillo lets us take small steps into Mandy's world by juxtaposing scenes of bright color with scenes of dreary darkness...Broderick and Rickards hit all the notes perfectly. Their duet is really something to see."
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written and directed by Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning Janet Grillo, and starring Beth Broderick
Beth Broderick
Elizabeth Alice "Beth" Broderick is an American actress famous for her portrayal of the character Zelda Spellman in the television sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch from 1996–2003 on ABC and then the Warner Bros. network.-Early life:Broderick was born in Falmouth, Kentucky and grew up in...
, Ashley Rickards
Ashley Rickards
Ashley Nicole Rickards is an American actress. She has been in various films and television shows portraying a wide variety of characters, most notably Fly Away, in which she portrayed Mandy, a severely autistic girl. She is also the lead character, Jenna Hamilton, in MTV's Awkward...
, Greg Germann
Greg Germann
Gregory Andrew "Greg" Germann is an American actor. He played the roles of Richard Fish in the television series Ally McBeal, businessman Mattson from Child's Play 2 and the vet Laurence from Quarantine...
, JR Bourne, Reno
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
, Elaine Hall, and Zachariah Palmer.
Made as a SAG Ultra-Low Budget Independent Film, and shot in 14 days, Fly Away premiered as 1 of 8 out of 2000 submissions in Dramatic Competition at the South by Southwest Film Festival
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in March, 2011.
The film won Best Film and Special Jury Prize for Performance (Ashley Rickards) at the Arizona International Film Festival
Arizona International Film Festival
The Arizona International Film Festival is the oldest and longest running independent film festival in Arizona. Taking place yearly, film programmes include a mix of shorts, children's films, feature length films, documentaries and animation films. The festival is also a Film Festival Grant...
in April 2011, and Honorable Mention from the prestigious Voice Awards, sponsored by the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA).
Fly Away opened in limited theatrical release in key cities in April 2011, Autism Awareness Month. It received excellent reviews in leading journals including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York Observer, Huffington Post, Variety and Hollywood Reporter. Several critics called for Academy Award nominations.
At the end of April 2010, Fly Away became available in US and Canada via iTunes, NetFlix, Amazon and Video on Demand Time Warner/Comcast, through New Video /Flatiron Films. The grassroots outreach campaign was in association with Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world's largest autism advocacy organization that sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, and the public. It was founded in February 2005 by Bob Wright, vice chairman of General Electric, and by his wife Suzanne, a...
, which received 10% of all proceeds.
The film's screenplay won the award for the Best International Screenplay from the 2010 Swansea Bay Film Festival in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Plot
It’s midnight, and Jeanne (Beth BroderickBeth Broderick
Elizabeth Alice "Beth" Broderick is an American actress famous for her portrayal of the character Zelda Spellman in the television sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch from 1996–2003 on ABC and then the Warner Bros. network.-Early life:Broderick was born in Falmouth, Kentucky and grew up in...
) is awakened by wails of pain, coming from another room. Slowly, she pulls herself out of bed and goes to the source; her autistic
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
teenage daughter Mandy (Ashley Rickards
Ashley Rickards
Ashley Nicole Rickards is an American actress. She has been in various films and television shows portraying a wide variety of characters, most notably Fly Away, in which she portrayed Mandy, a severely autistic girl. She is also the lead character, Jenna Hamilton, in MTV's Awkward...
).
Mandy is suffering an anxiety attack, as she has almost every night for months. Jeanne instructs her daughter to “use her strategies.” Finally, Jeanne distracts her out of this fit by singing a familiar lullaby: “Lady bug, lady bug, fly away home.”
The next morning, Jeanne struggles to dress her 15 year-old daughter, who can’t yet do so by herself, and to board her onto the awaiting school bus. Afterwards, she walks their family beagle, while receiving a cell phone call from her free-lance business partner, Sue (Denise Dowse). They’re under pressure to deliver a high-profile cost analysis report to a major client. Jeanne jumps into the task with characteristic determination. Despite Sue’s protest, Jeanne promises the client they will deliver it by Monday.
But her work is soon interrupted by a call from the school. Mandy’s had another violent fit, disrupting the class. Jeanne rushes to the school, and encounters the dedicated but gruff principal, Liz Howell (Reno
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
), who suggests this might not be the right placement for Mandy. Since Mandy’s failed in three different schools over the past two years, Jeanne is resolute to keep her in this one.
Desperate for help, Jeanne calls Mandy’s father, Peter (JR Bourne), asking if he could take Mandy for the weekend. He makes his usual excuses, but then surprises them by showing up, and sweeping Mandy off to the park. Jeanne is enjoying a rare moment of peace when Peter calls, in great distress. Mandy’s had another fit, attacking yet another child on the playground. Jeanne rushes to the rescue, and takes control of the situation.
The next day, Jeanne takes a break to walk her dog and meets a new neighbor, Tom (Greg Germann
Greg Germann
Gregory Andrew "Greg" Germann is an American actor. He played the roles of Richard Fish in the television series Ally McBeal, businessman Mattson from Child's Play 2 and the vet Laurence from Quarantine...
). He’s charming, and sparks begin to fly. Jeanne remembers that she is a woman, not just a function. Then her cell phone rings and it’s the school, once again. Mandy’s had another fit and Jeanne rushes off, leaving Tom behind and bewildered.
This time, Mandy’s fit was so extreme that she is suspended for a week. Jeanne is beside herself. Over the next few days, her world becomes even more unhinged, as she struggles to complete her report, while attending to Mandy’s round-the-clock needs. It’s an impossible task, and she fails. The report is hastily done and she is fired.
Mandy has another fit and is kicked out of the school. Jeanne’s only option is to enroll her child in a therapeutic residential facility. But how can she? Mandy’s body might be mature, but her mind and spirit is that of a young child. How can she abandon such a vulnerable girl to strangers? Driving Mandy back from their final confrontation with Liz Howell, Jeanne contemplates veering off the road into a tree, and ending their suffering. She stops herself, last minute. In a poignant moment of surprising attunement, Mandy consoles her mother, singing to Jeanne as she had been sung to; “Fly away home…”
The next day, Jeanne takes Mandy with her to the dog park. Tom is there as well. Surprisingly, he is charmed by Mandy’s eccentricity, and offers to take them all out for pizza. Unused to flirtatious attention from a man, Jeanne refuses. But Mandy’s enthusiasm wins out.
They have a lovely time and Tom escorts them home, where he engages in delightful play with Mandy. Later, over a cup of tea, he and Jeanne grow closer. But when he moves his hand to take hers, Jeanne freezes. Why would he want to get involved with her, and this engulfing struggle? And if she cared about him, how could she let him? Rebuffed, Tom leaves the house…and her life. Overcome by the sacrifice she has made, yet again, Jeanne sucks up her sorrow and forges on.
In the days to come, Mandy and Jeanne become increasingly unable to cope. While walking their dog, Mandy breaks away and with unexpected speed, runs off. Jeanne cannot find her. For hours, Mandy is lost and Jeanne is desperate. Until Tom arrives, returning her. He found Mandy hiding in the dog park. Jeanne’s gratitude hints at renewed possibility between them.
At last, Jeanne realizes that the residential facility is Mandy’s last, best chance. She suggests it to Peter. They meet with a professional advisor, to discuss this difficult choice. Although she suggested it, Jeanne is anguished at the thought of losing her child. She can’t bring herself to “sending her away.” In the parking lot after the meeting, Jeanne sees a plane over-head. The sight of it flying freely causes an internal shift.
Jeanne drives Mandy miles away to visit the Boarding School. The facility is gracious, and the staff is kind. As she walks the inviting grounds with Mandy, they hold hands. And realize that both of their lives can now begin.
Cast
- Beth BroderickBeth BroderickElizabeth Alice "Beth" Broderick is an American actress famous for her portrayal of the character Zelda Spellman in the television sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch from 1996–2003 on ABC and then the Warner Bros. network.-Early life:Broderick was born in Falmouth, Kentucky and grew up in...
as Jeanne Cafferty - Ashley RickardsAshley RickardsAshley Nicole Rickards is an American actress. She has been in various films and television shows portraying a wide variety of characters, most notably Fly Away, in which she portrayed Mandy, a severely autistic girl. She is also the lead character, Jenna Hamilton, in MTV's Awkward...
as Mandy - Greg GermannGreg GermannGregory Andrew "Greg" Germann is an American actor. He played the roles of Richard Fish in the television series Ally McBeal, businessman Mattson from Child's Play 2 and the vet Laurence from Quarantine...
as Tom - JR Bourne as Peter
- RenoRenoReno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
as Liz Howell - Elaine Hall as Ms. Quinlan
- Zachariah Palmer as Dylan
Critical reception
The film received positive reviews from critics. Fly Away holds a rating of 82% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
wrote that "The lovely, heartbreaking Fly Away benefits from superb performances and a gripping story managed with simplicity and grace by writer-producer-director Janet Grillo." The New York Times wrote: "A defiantly unsentimental look at the complex codependency between a harried single mother and her severely autistic daughter."
Rex Reed of The New York Observer
New York Observer
The New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987, by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. The Observer focuses on the city's culture, real estate, the media, politics and the entertainment and...
wrote about Ashley Rickard's performance: "In a class by herself, she deserves, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. Not since Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker has any actor portrayed a handicapped child (especially one with autism) with the same depth of passion and realism."
The Huffington Post commended both Beth Broderick and Ashley Rickard for their performances: "Broderick plays Jeanne with a lost look on her face. She is overwhelmed by her circumstances, but is determined to persevere...In stark counterpoint to Jeanne is Mandy, the autistic daughter who is not like most of us. Mandy is played by Ashley Rickards, a young lady who should win an Academy Award for best supporting actress. She is that convincing. Her performance is both frightening and wonderful. Director Grillo lets us take small steps into Mandy's world by juxtaposing scenes of bright color with scenes of dreary darkness...Broderick and Rickards hit all the notes perfectly. Their duet is really something to see."
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona International Film Festival Arizona International Film Festival The Arizona International Film Festival is the oldest and longest running independent film festival in Arizona. Taking place yearly, film programmes include a mix of shorts, children's films, feature length films, documentaries and animation films. The festival is also a Film Festival Grant... |
Best Feature | ||
| Special Jury Prize | Ashley Rickards Ashley Rickards Ashley Nicole Rickards is an American actress. She has been in various films and television shows portraying a wide variety of characters, most notably Fly Away, in which she portrayed Mandy, a severely autistic girl. She is also the lead character, Jenna Hamilton, in MTV's Awkward... |
||
| Voice Awards | Honorable Mention | ||
| Swansea Bay Film Festival | Best International Screenplay | ||