The Higher Spirit

(Coming Home for Christmas)

Synopsis:

Coming home from the holidays is something most families cherish. After this holiday, Christmas will never be the same in the Higher-Mills family. Coming from mixed backgrounds adopted siblings Smythe, Hanna, Bea, Shane, and Lonny along with their parents Pat and Samantha, will have to search for a higher spirit to get them through this holiday season.

Quick Thoughts:

After watching some other films by B. Danielle Watkins and not being impressed, I was hesitant to watch “The Higher Spirit”. While this sapphic holiday film still has issues, I found myself enjoying it more than the others. The heart of the story has a good message that thankfully shines through despite script issues, some overacting, and awkward cinematographic issues. Although I was initially turned off by the anti-trans mindset of ‘Mantha towards her partner, Pat, wanting to embrace her true male identity, especially with how she preaches to their adopted children to be true to themselves. Thankfully she comes around, but it’s very eleventh hour and almost out of nowhere making the entire fuss throughout the film pointless and off-putting. But despite this issues, it’s a decent film from a team of black queer filmmakers. So it’s worth watching, “The Higher Spirit” and support their future films.