Feras Alfuqaha's LIFELINE stars Josh Stewart as Steven Thomas. Steven's spending his New Year's Eve volunteering at a suicide hotline during the graveyard shift. He's the only guy in the office during a time of year in which folks tend to really feel their pain. The holidays can be rough on some of us.
Steven handles a series of calls but one stands out: a college-aged kid who says he's gone to a motel with a gun with plans to kill himself at midnight. The kid's name? Steven Thomas.
What's initially perceived as a prank reveals itself to extend beyond any wealth of coincidences. Steven knows he's talking to a younger self. As memories of his own abusive childhood begin to seep through repression, Steven knows he only has a few hours to A) figure out how this phenomenon is even occurring and B) convince his younger self to stay alive for the promise of a better day and life.
The strength of this movie lies mainly in Stewart's performance. In his exhaustion, I see a man willing to carry the emotional burden of those to whom he extends a helping hand, regardless of the toll on his own body. As his younger, emotionally fraught self launches into self-destructive, nihilistic rants, Stewart's hesitation and expressions reveal that instinctual connection: Once upon a time, he did believe a version of this way of thinking. If you were to really crack the shell, I think he realizes he still believes in some of it, but also recognizes the need to adjust this perspective based on wisdom derived from experience. Older Steven isn't an easy role to bear and Stewart plays it thoughtfully and empathetically.
Genres blend and the mystery unfurls in enticing fashion. Once all is revealed, I found myself seeing LIFELINE as poignant, hopeful even. It's an entertaining and heartfelt ode to one's desire to pursue hope against seemingly insurmountable pain. And it's less than 90 minutes? What a win!
LIFELINE is currently playing in select theaters in L.A. & available to rent on VOD.
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