ReelBob: ‘8:37 Rebirth’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

“8:37 Rebirth” is a psychological thriller about how one moment can change lives.

Sergei was 9 years old when he witnessed his father shot in his convenience store.

The shooter was Jared, 18, who was captured and sent to prison.

The trauma of that event has stuck with both individuals, even 20-plus years later.

Sergei (Pasha Ebrahimi) is now a mathematics professor. He is married with a young son.

Jared (Glen Gould) has just been released from prison. He served his full sentence even though he was eligible for parole years earlier.

A letter informs Sergei of Jared’s release, starting a downhill spiral for the former whose life has been weighed down by the tragedy.

Jared also has been weighed down — with guilt and regret.

Both pour their feelings into their passions: For Sergei, it is mathematical equations — including one in which he tries to compute how he could have altered events and saved his father.

For Jared, painting is his balm. And while he finds a sense of peace in his art, Sergei continues to go down a rabbit hole as he tries — in his mind — to equate a new outcome to ease his misery.

The movie, marking the directorial debut of Juanita Peters, who also was one of the movie’s three writers, goes down an inescapable path that grows darker as “8:37” progresses.

To reveal any more would be a disservice to those who want to see this dark feature.

The finale may not satisfy everyone, but it fits with the narrative created by Peters and her collaborators.

“8:37 Rebirth” is a story about obsession, consequences and responsibility, abetted by solid performances by Ebrahimi, Gould and Mark A. Owen as Bedford, the veteran detective whose early years on the force intersected with the lives of the two protagonists.

It’s a movie detailing how a split-second in time engulfs lives and actions for years to come.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

8:37 REBIRTH
3 stars out of 4
Not rated, violence, language