ReelBob: ‘A Boy Called Sailboat’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

Sometimes a little magic and a positive vibe are good for the soul.

And that is the appeal of “A Boy Called Sailboat.”

This small, independent movie may play, at times, like one of those old Afterschool Special TV offerings, but it is much, much more.

It is a quiet and engaging story about family, love and the power of music, featuring winning performances from its young cast members — notably, Julian Atocani Sanchez as Sailboat.

Sailboat narrates the story, which was written and directed by Cameron Nugent, and set in and around a New Mexico desert.

The movie’s impetus is an old ukulele, a “little guitar,” as Sailboat calls it, that he discovers in a trash heap.

He and his instrument are inseparable, and when his gravely ill grandmother asks him to write her a song, Sailboat goes about learning how to play.

Sailboat, his father, Jose (Noel Gugliemi), and his mother, Meyo (Elizabeth De Razzo), live in a slanted dwelling outside of a small, drought-ridden town. A massive stick anchors the house, keeping it from collapsing. The family is poor but proud and, most importantly, loving and supportive.

“A Boy Called Sailboat” is a nice movie — too nice, really. No serious conflicts arise. No dire problems challenge Sailboat or his family. Most everyone they meet is caring, accepting and nonjudgmental.

The key to the movie is how Nugent handles the song Sailboat creates for his grandmother. We never hear him play it or sing it; the screen grows silent when he performs. All we see are the reactions of those who hear the music and his voice.

And that is the magical aspect of the movie, giving it a contemporary, yet fairy-tale quality.

The movie, which will be available on various video-on-demand platforms on Feb. 5, is rather quiet. It’s a leisurely paced story that charms you.

“A Boy Called Sailboat” makes good use of its main locale, the ramshackle home where Sailboat and his parents live. The surrounding desert and the dusty terrain with swirling winds and dust occasionally buffer their house.

As photographed by John Garrett, it offers viewers a stark beauty that complements the lean story. Also, abetting the mood is the score by Leonard and Slava Grigoryan, who incorporate such diverse tunes as “Row Row Row Your Boat,” “Whittington Fair,” “The Banana Boat Song” (“Day-O”) and “La Bamba.”

Sanchez receives wonderful support from two other child actors, Zeyah Pearson as Mandy, a musically knowledgeable classmate, whose loan of a CD player to Sailboat helps him learn to play, and Keanu Wilson as Peeti, his soccer-obsessed best friend.

Gugliemi as the fierce-looking, tattooed Jose, undercuts the stereotype viewers usually have of such a character. He is a kind, gentle and proud father. De Razzo’s Meyo, at first, is a shy homebody who avoids people but opens up, thanks to Sailboat’s music.

“A Boy Called Sailboat” is a positive movie. It’s a refreshing change of pace that will tug at your heart and bring a smile to your face.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

A BOY CALLED SAILBOAT
3 stars out of 4
Not rated