The Custom Mary

The Custom Mary is a unique and intriguing independent film released in 2011. This rare flick was directed by Matt Dunnerstick and it stars Alicia Sixtos, James Jolly and Travis Hammer in central roles. The movie fuses different worlds and themes, churches and car workshops, street lowriders and miracles, in a rather unusual but captivating narrative.

The Custom Mary is centred around its lead character Mary, a young Latina portrayed by Alicia Sixtos. At the beginning of the movie, Mary finds herself in an identity crisis of sorts and gets pulled into two entirely different worlds. One world pulls her toward her Mexican-American heritage's traditional religious beliefs, while the other wing represents an urban, Latino-based street culture.

In the throes of this crisis, she meets Eli, played by Travis Hammer - a determined yet desperate biochemist who believes that, if he can clone the son of God, he can unlock humanity's secret to eternal life. Eli, who has been researching the possibility of cloning Jesus Christ, discovers Mary and is convinced that she would be the ideal surrogate mother for his experiment. Mary, caught up between her conflicting identities and pressured by societal expectations, is then drawn towards this strange and extraordinarily audacious proposal.

On the flip side, Mary begins to get involved with the world of lowriders - modified cars that represent an integral part of the street subculture she's being drawn into. James, played by James Jolly, is a lowrider mechanic who introduces her to this vivid and distinctive culture. Across Sun-soaked California, gritty motor workshops, and reverberating with the thumping beats of hip-hop music, the lowrider culture forms an exciting and dramatic contrast to the religious narrative in Mary's life. The character dynamics and tension created by these contrasting worlds make for brave storytelling and a refreshingly original narrative, which The Custom Mary dishes out with compelling vigor.

The interplay of faith, science, and street culture provides a unique platform for the filmmakers to explore identity, belief, destiny, and the various roads to salvation. The film equally touches upon ethics in science and the crisis of faith in the modern world, underlining these heavy themes with a vivid, street-style cinematography, drawing out compelling performances from its lead cast and side characters.

Alicia Sixtos delivers a powerful and emotive performance as Mary, balancing strength with vulnerability, faith with confusion, traditionalism with rebellion. The film frames her as a symbol for working-class youth struggling with the dual identities that their heritage has thrust upon them.

James Jolly, as the passionate lowrider mechanic, delivers an excellent performance, luting an air of authenticity in his portrayal of Latino street life. Similarly impactful is Travis Hammer, as the determined Eli, convincingly portraying the desperation and determination of a man trying to outsmart God and time.

The Custom Mary's directors and writers have done a tremendous job crafting an intricate narrative backbone into which they weave these various strands: faith, ethnicity, street culture, and controversial scientific ambition. The screenplay goes beyond mere storytelling to stir up deep and challenging questions about faith, culture, identity, society, and personal and collective motivations.

Despite its independent roots, The Custom Mary offers significant production value, implying a high degree of dedication from its crew and cast. The cinematography brings to life the complexities of LA's urban landscape, the sun-drenched chapels, and the chrome-plated underworld of the lowrider scene.

In conclusion, The Custom Mary is an unusual, thought-provoking, daring piece of storytelling that bends genre borders to deliver a movie experience that transcends the ordinary. It dives into the dimensions of science, religion, ethics, and culture with an audacious approach that brings about a refreshing narrative. Its compelling performances and brave direction make it a commendable piece in the world of independent cinema. Therefore, for anyone looking for a movie experience away from mainstream predictability and towards challenging and thought-provoking narratives, The Custom Mary, with its contrasting yet harmonious exploration of faith and culture, is worth the delve.