Return To Innocence (2001)
by Ashley Cook

New independent film is full of wonderful surprises.

This tearful true-life drama, based on the novel written by Gary M. Frazier, locks us in a case where we would struggle to get out. Glen Erskin, played by Richard Meese, is chief of staff at New Horizons, a place for abused boys. Glen, a child psychologist, risks loosing everything that has built his international well-respected career and life for his family. An astounding performance by young Andrew Martin who plays Tommy Jackson, the victim of horrific, emotional, physical, sexual abuse. His mother, who made pornographic videos of her son and put them on the Internet, is arrested by the FBI and Tommy is taken to New Horizons.

What this movie is really about: The relationship and bond between Glen and Tommy. What is the limitation between a man who loves boys, not in a sexual way, but with deep care and concern? Costanza helps bring this question to life. I feel this movie will make its mark. I had the pleasure of viewing Return to Innocence before it goes on a nationwide tour, first stop Chicago, IL - to be shown at AngelCiti Film Festival and Market, June 20-28.

Costanza explains, "We, as parents, teach our children the importance of coming to us when they are abused in any way...In our society today, people are quick to judge one another, and when their child tells them they were abused, people are quick to act. Guilty or innocent is irrelevant." With that note, I think Costanza did a great job directing this film. With his new production company, LifeLine Entertainment, he will be producing more films of this nature and quality. Frazier, who wrote the screenplay, had a major impact on Costanza, " My company will now deal with real humanity stories. True life stories that are occurring in our world today." The casting was very well thought out. Costanza claims he wanted to duplicate the book as much as possible. It is hard to take someone's creative piece-already in existence-and recreate the vision without loosing anything.

Meese was also in Costanza's last movie, Godsend, and has appeared in many plays across Southern California. In 1996, he won the "Pati" award for best actor of the year at Costa Mesa Playhouse for his performance as Alan Baker in Come Blow Your Horn. When asked what he thought the audience would get from Return to Innocence, he replied, "I think they may have some real problems with Glen's philosophy of what constitutes child sex abuse, but I think they will admire his integrity and unselfish love for children. I hope they come away understanding how something like this could happen to anyone and how terrifying an experience like that can be."

Martin, a fourteen year old freshman from Scottsdale, Arizona, flew into LA to audition for the part and nailed it. He's been acting since he was six years old. Martin's reel consists of productions in theatre like, Oliver, Music Man, Camelot, Tommy, and Phantom; he appeared in movies like Waiting to Exhale, Terminal Velocity, The Candidate Kid, and Mafia Marriage. Martin explains what was difficult about Tommy's character, "The hardest aspect to play Tommy Jackson is trying to feel the real feelings that Tommy had...To portray someone who feels alone and unloved is tough. My family is all about love."

There are many other great roles in Return to Innocence. Steve De Forest plays, Jim Aiker, an attorney with an articulation to achieve. I commend music composer, Orren Merton who produced the score and all original music for Return to Innocence. This movie gave me the chills with it's graphic details and concentration on a story with no fluffed up frills here and there. With all the multi-talented people aboard this ride-I think we have the start to something great.

Ashley Cook is a writer and student in Southern California who will someday run a big studio.

Got a problem? Email Ashley at filmmonthly@hotmail.com