Plot Summary
Caden is a spoiled teenager who thinks he owns the world and can do whatever he wants. So he decides to try to convince his mother and stepfather that he and his friends need to go to India to “experience the world.” Surprisingly, they agree, so Caden sets out to discover what he is looking for to satisfy his empty soul. All the while, his mother prays tirelessly for him in the hope that he will come to his senses. Little does she know God’s plan for him as Caden stumbles upon the dark world of child trafficking and slavery and determines that he must do something about it.
Production Quality (1.5 points)
Not Today is a highly unique production, to say the least. At the beginning of the film, there are tons of odd special effects and captioning drawn on top of the screen to try to enhance the story, but this thankfully subsides as the movie goes on. There is a professional use of international on-set locations, but some of the camera work is shaky, seemingly on purpose to try to create some kind of documentary effect, even though this isn’t a docu-drama. Video and audio quality are both clear, however, and the original soundtrack is effective. Yet there are issues with editing, including choppiness and abrupt scene transitions. But the production improves in the middle as a whole and some of the minor issues fade away. However, it’s not enough to make this production above average. It’s a good effort, but it could have been better.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1.5 points)
Though this premise is slightly forced, it is no less important to discuss in film. Unfortunately, too much of the film relies on the issue the writer is trying to present, namely human trafficking, and leaves other things undone at first. For example, the characters start out as very empty and stereotypical, but improve through the film through intriguing character arcs. Though things are rocky at first, the story improves in the middle and carries a powerful message. Similarly, the dialogue begins amateurish but becomes deeper and more meaningful as the plot goes on. There is a lot of content here, along with some interesting psychological elements, but we would have still liked to see more development from some of the characters and less wasted time at the beginning. Also, the ending is quite rushed and patched up, so we can’t really appreciate what’s happening. In the end, this is an average plot that we feel could have been better, but it ends up meaningful.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Like other elements, the acting starts off juvenile and forceful, but improves as the movie goes on. The character arcs seemingly cause the line delivery and emotional delivery to become more realistic. Nonetheless, international casting is realistic and effective. The frustrating thing is that this was a professional cast, so they certainly could have been better. But like the rest of the film, this portion just comes out as average.
Conclusion
Though Not Today is a slight advertisement for the human trafficking non-profit behind it, it is still an effective messaging tool and drives its point home in the end. No doubt a lot of effort was put into the international casting and filming, so this could have detracted from other parts of the movie. For the most part, many audiences will find this film enjoyable, and it may be worth your time. It’s not one of the horrible films out there—we just feel like it could have been better. Nevertheless, you should still probably give it a chance.
Final Rating: 4.5 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 