Anything Is Possible (film)
Anything Is Possible is a 2013 American drama film written and directed by Demetrius Navarro and starring Ethan Bortnick, Fatima Ptacek, Johnathan Bennett and Lacey Chabert. It is Bortnick's only film and although he finished filming it in September 2011, it was only released in the United States on September 24, 2013. Bortnick plays the leading role as Nathan, a young boy who's separated from his mother when she goes missing during a trip to Japan to help after the tsunami. The movie explores issues like homelessness, military family life and adoption. Bortnick co-wrote the music with Grammy award winning songwriter and producer, Gary Baker, and his team Matthew Craig and Rob Collier. He recorded the album in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Bortnick also scored the entire film.[1] Bortnick is the youngest actor to co-write the soundtrack and play the leading role in a feature film.
| Anything Is Possible | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Demetrius Navarro |
| Written by | Carlos R. Bermúdez Demetrius Navarro |
| Starring | Ethan Bortnick Fatima Ptacek Johnathan Bennett Lacey Chabert |
| Music by | Ethan Bortnick |
| Cinematography | Keith L. Smith |
| Edited by | Andrew Brzozowski Jon Vasquez |
Production company | D Street Films Nu Trend Productions |
| Distributed by | Moviemax Family |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Army lieutenant Margaret Peters goes missing during a rescue mission in Japan. Back in Detroit, her son Nathan had difficulty accepting the shocking news. To make matters worse, he discovers that his father George isn't his biological father. Due to this and his mother's long absence, Child Care Services came knocking at their door. Afraid of being taken away, Nathan splits before his father can explain. While George goes looking for him, Nathan takes to the streets of Detroit. There, he encounters Captain Miles, a homeless Iraqi war veteran. It was at first unclear what Captain Miles' intention is with Nathan, but the veteran ultimately tricks him into seeking shelter at the home of Evelyn Strasser. This wealthy philanthropist founds out that her daughter Jessee has been hiding Nathan in the basement. Evelyn reunites Nathan with George, but not before discovering that Nathan is musically gifted. Unfortunately, the reunion is short-lived until Child Care Services can sort out the mess. In the meantime, the State will take custody of Nathan. This means that Nathan still has to go to the orphanage. The orphanage has its own set of problems as it is going to be closed soon due to lack of funds. When the children learned about this, they decide to do some fundraising via a concert. They go all out to market their newly-found musical prodigy via flyers that promise a sterling performance and indeed, on the big day, Nathan raised both the roof and enough funds to support the orphanage. The icing on the cake was when Nathan's mother turned out to be alive after all and was reunited with her family.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Ethan Bortnick | Nathan |
| Johnathan Bennett | George |
| Lacey Chabert | Maggie |
| Fatima Ptacek | Jessee |
| David Haines | Captain Miles |
| Erlinda Navarro | Lysandra (as Erlinda Orozco) |
| Kym Whitley | Ms. Kim |
| Elizabeth Atkins | Evelyn |
| Shelby Moffett | Ms. Jones |
| Carlo Lorenzo Garcia | Mr. Cruz |
| Daniel Behrendt | Army Officer #1 |
| Nathan Bortnick | Scooter |
| Alexander T. Bowman | Jimmy |
| Frankie Darcel | Herself |
| Shariay Gant | Jasmine |
| Daniel Luján | Earl |
| Sydney Machesky | Becky |
| Mila McConaughey | Nicole |
| Meghan Miles | Jenny |
| Ty Miles | Army Officer #2 |
| Enrico Natale | Clank |
| Demetrius Navarro | Luis |
| Stephane Nicoli | Cab driver |
| Chad Mitchell Rodgers | Tyler |
| Tasha Tacosa | Joyce Miner |
| Charles E. Wasson | Tommy |
Reception
One critic gave the film three stars,[2] which according to their ratings mean that it is just fine and solid.[3] The Dove Foundation gave the film five Doves, their highest rating as well as their Family Approved For All Ages seal, which means that it is an entertaining story that is suitable for the entire family.[4] They also stated that Young Ethan Bortnick is incredible as Nathan.
One of the cast, Fatima Ptacek earned a nomination for the category Best Child Actor in a Film in the 2014 Nollywood and African Film Critics Awards.
References
- Anything Is Possible (2013), retrieved 2018-09-20
- "Anything Is Possible - Movie Review". Retrieved 2018-09-20.
- "How We Rate and Review | Common Sense Media". Retrieved 2018-09-20.
- "Anything is Possible | Dove Family Friendly Movie Reviews". Dove.org. Retrieved 2018-09-20.