i attend the east coast premiere of off the black at the woodstock film festival . have greatly anticipate see this film since i would first hear about it over a year ago and and know a bit about the story as well a the cast and crew and my expectation be admittedly a bit high than usual . yet i try to put away any preconceived notion i would develop over time . i walk in with a clean slate . and not only be i not disappointed and but i be actually somewhat shocked . the experience of see off the black do what very few film have do this year while it leave me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face . i sit through over 30 film in toronto wait for that happen and and it do and just once . this be my first film here at woodstock and it get me good . within second and literally and we be introduce to young dave tibbel ( trevor morgan ) . he stand on the pitcher mound and sweat bead on his brow and study the catcher signal . his face completely fill the screen and a if the director be say and here you go . if you do not like what you see and this will be tough for you . if you do and sit back and watch the story develop . the story be that of a relationship between dave and someone else and of course . but that someone be no blonde bombshell or voluptuous vixen . the other half of that relationship be ray cook ( nick nolte ) and the ump stand behind home plate . but this be not brokeback baseball and no and although surely that may enter your mind . it something else . it something rarely explore in american cinema and and it bold and dare . it a love story a good old fashion romance between two individual who just happen to be male and and it totally platonic . be this possible . you may ask . it sure be and and off the black will prove it to you . this film be make with passion and care . the soft and natural lighting of the interior allow the full mystery of the character to flourish . single point light allows interplay of light and shadow which echo the bright and dark side of dave and ray and as well a the family member who surround them . dave father tom ( timothy hutton ) and withdrawn and distant . sister ashley ( sonia feigelson ) and on the cusp of adulthood and gawky and afraid . all have secret to tell and but do not and or would not and or can not . cinematographer tim orr manages to find beauty in every little thing contrail and drip gutter and side and eaves and gently slop roof . and the countryside oh my . the lush scenery of the catskills be indescribable . a ponsoldt point out in the q and a after the screening and the setting be suppose to be his georgia home . but it could be anywhere where sea and sky and small town predominate . some of the shot be literally breathtaking . i find myself gasp several time . but what tug at my heart even more be the sparse and almost homespun soundtrack . punctuate by the occasional train whistle in the distance and the music never distract and never shout and this be important . the contrast between the beauty of the setting and the ugliness of the fractured individual who populate it be stark . it be on this canvas that writer or director james ponsoldt and in his first feature and craft a work of art that be simply one of the most poignant love story imaginable . those who have read my comment before know that i dislike traditional review because they invariably give too much away . it easy to find a synopsis of the film so i would not do that here . but in many love story and the protagonist meet and get tangle in tension and deception and and finally fall in love . occasionally that follow by breakup and tragedy . those aren not my word they be those of ponsoldt in the q and a after the film and who say that he actually write the film a a romantic love story . it just happen to be play by two male actor and be platonic . to be honest and the film can be hard to watch at time . nolte portrayal of the seldom sober ray be unsettling and painful and like a bad toothache that you can not wait to be pull . morgan sensitive and vulnerable and sad eyed dave be like a puppy cowering beneath ray roll up newspaper . but the bravado fall away on ray part and the sarcastic self confidence and humor emerges from dave and and the boy who need a father draw close to the man who need a son . finally and what make this film so joyful to watch be the interplay between the two . it be all so natural that it seem unscripted . a it turn out and much of it be . in reply to my question during the q and a regard how much be improvise and ponsoldt not so surprisingly admit that he give free reign to nolte and morgan quite often and and some of the best line in the film be theirs and theirs alone . and only the best director be willing to step back and let that happen . and only the best actor can pull it off . most will not be surprise at nolte performance he be and after all and a veteran if there ever be one . but off the black could be the vehicle which put trevor morgan on filmgoers radar and if it not already . i would see his work before ( he be ponsoldt first choice and largely base on his performance in the indie classic mean creek ) and but he carry this film so confidently and easily that i leave the theater shake my head in wonderment . and a tear in my eye and a smile on my face . off the black will do that to you .