In the Alchemy of the Spirit, passed away is portrayed in a way that has not been portrayed in many films. This is a film in which the necessary conversation begins with a poetic and very dramatic look at a person who cannot understand the fact that someone close to him has died. However, in Steve Balderson’s film, the reaction to the inevitable turns into a journey beyond our initial understanding of grief.

Of course, if your loved one dies, you know what to expect. At least the basic actions.

Fortunately, there is nothing traditional about Balderson’s mind alchemy. From the beautiful performance of Xander Berkeley to the magical realism that permeates every frame and the script itself. This is a very strange and atypical depiction of mourning. But that doesn’t mean it’s not clear.

The film begins when Oliver Black wakes up next to his wife and realizes that she is dead. Struck by surprise, a man cannot wake up from a nightmare. His immediate reaction is to save his body and make a passed away mask out of his face. At the same time, his agent calls and asks Oliver to work on the next important thing: an art collection for a large museum.

Oliver’s passion with recreating Evelyn’s face has a result. She shows up next to Oliver and she has a message. He can’t tell if she’s alive or dead. If she’s really there, or if he’s hallucinating. He goes down the rabbit hole with a fully awake Evelyn, who brings a message.

“The Alchemy of the Spirit” is an experiment to overcome distrust in a dramatic setting that is completely dominated by Berkeley’s actions and his attitude to the genres affected by Balderson in the film. Sometimes it sounds like a horror movie. But immediately after that, only unrequited love remained on the screen. The chemistry between Berkeley and Sarah Clark is palpable and effective.

However, mind alchemy is traditional when necessary. When he needs to report the causes of Oliver’s imperfect, human acts of despair. Balderson allows us to see what lies behind the secret images and numerous possibilities of history. Space images were rare, but it would be very interesting to know the story behind them.

Movies don’t necessarily have to tell the same stories we know. Comfort zones are not always better. And directors like Balderson open windows for excerpts that show many facets of Existentialism through a traumatic but romantic story. He proves that it is possible to introduce original material into a typical one, and does what deserves discussion.

Oh, and the score by songwriter Heather Schmidt is fantastic. It is clear and precise for the many personalities in the film. I would like to know more about her!