Inspired (Short)
Samantha Higgins (Tyler Kipp) is a member of her high school’s varsity basketball team, but she’s struggling. She loves basketball, but she struggles to make it to practice on time, struggles during drills, and even struggles to get on the court with her coach, Coach Stafford (Ariane M. Reinhart), riding her so hard. When she gets frustrated with coach, she storms out of practice, but not before the assistant coach (Coach Bohn, played by Chris Viemeister) stops her and tells her to read between the lines of what Stafford is saying, and realize that she really does care for her and wants her to succeed. One day, though, Sam is pushed to the breaking point and loses hope. That’s when Stafford steps in and really starts to coach her about life. Writer-director Maggie Kaszuba’s film comes from a really honest place, as is obvious from the dedications at the end of the film, and it shows in every frame. There is not a false note hit in terms of performances or a moment that feels manufactured. It’s all very real and true, and it makes “Inspired” feel, well, inspiring indeed. There’s not really much else that needs to be said. It does it’s job, and does it well, and I was deeply moved by it.
