Thunder Road: Sundance Awarding-Winning Short Turned Feature Film
Thunder Road made its New Hampshire Film Festival debut on Friday at 3S Artspace to a packed room of film goers. Thunder Road is a feature narrative starring, written and directed by Jim Cummings. The film is based on the Sundance short that won the Grand Jury Prize for best short film in 2016. It is produced by Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker and Benjamin Wiessner and stars Jim Cummings, Kendal Farr, Nican Robinson, Jocelyn DeBoer and Macon Blair.
The film opens with Jim Arnaud, played by Jim Cummings, delivering the eulogy at his mother’s funeral. Inspired by the lullaby his mother sang to him as a child, Thunder Road, Jim delivers a tender and earnest eulogy. His performance is unforgettable and moving. The film continues as Jim struggles emotionally to cope with his divorce, fighting for custody of his daughter, and grieving his mother’s death. He is a Texan police officer who grapples with his high-pressure job while dealing with this personal distress.
This comedy/drama is at times heartbreaking, yet it balances comedy and tenderness seamlessly. The writing and performance by Jim Cummings is filled with honesty, humor, and vulnerability. This is a story of a flawed man trying to do his best under relentless and grueling circumstances. He works to connect with his daughter and do the right thing for her throughout the film. Thunder Road serves as a character study of a man striving to stay afloat as things fall apart.