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Each day brings new adventures. We face new situations and come into contact with new people—all while going through the same old daily routines. And Give Me Liberty follows along with a young man as his usual work day turns into something that’s completely unusual.
Give Me Liberty follows medical transport driver Vic (Chris Galust) on an uncommon day of work. As he goes about trying to get his regular clients to and from appointments and events and interviews, he’s interrupted by a group of rowdy Russians who need a ride to their friend’s funeral. Tensions begin to run high as Vic tries to navigate through the city after protests close down many of the streets on his regular route, and passengers like Tracy (Lauren “Lolo” Spencer) are forced to share a ride with the Russians and their accordion.
As this slice-of-life dramedy rides along with Vic throughout this atypical day in his life, it meets a variety of different people: the Russian funeral guests, Vic’s family, and the people who travel each day in his van. The characters here are a true melting pot—different races and nationalities, different personalities, different abilities—yet the film treats them all the same. There are eccentric characters and cranky characters and trouble-making characters. There’s comedy and conflict. And it doesn’t matter if they’re white, if they speak English, or if they can walk on their own; they’re simply parts of the journey.
It’s these characters, in fact, who make the film. Vic may be quiet and reserved, but he’s surrounded by big personalities. And it’s those personalities and strong performances—like Spencer’s Tracy and Maksim Stayanov’s Dima—that keep the film interesting.
Still, there’s a lot going on in this film, and it seems to ramble and change its tone as it moves from one topic to another. The Russians give the film its comic relief, but once they’ve paid their last respects, the story shifts as it ventures out into troubled neighborhoods—or to Vic’s mother’s home, where she’s preparing for a recital. It’s definitely not a cohesive story—but, then again, real life is rarely cohesive, either.
Of course, if you prefer stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end—stories that fit together and have an obvious point—Give Me Liberty isn’t for you. But it tells a charming story about the characters and situations that we encounter on our daily journey.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
