"Parallel" the intense, sci fi drama is now streaming on Paramount+

September 1, 2024

"Parallel" is a thought-provoking, independent movie that debuted earlier this year on February 23 and premiered on Paramount+ today. Based on the 2019 Chinese film Parallel Forest by Lei Zheng, "Parallel" stars brothers Aldis Hodge, Edwin Hodge, and Danielle Deadwyler and was co-written by both Hodges with Jonathan Keasey.

Distributed by Vertical and directed by Kourosh Ahari, "Parallel" follows the story of Vanessa (Danielle Deadwyler), who takes refuge at her family's lake house to grieve after losing her child and mysteriously finds herself navigating parallel universes. Accompanied by her husband, Alex (Aldis Hodge), and his brother, Martel (Edwin Hodge), Vanessa attempts to regain her sense of normalcy after the tragedy. Soon after their arrival, she experiences an aberration when she is attacked by her doppelganger from a parallel universe. Faced with the reality that multiverses exist, she must quickly find the answers to the conundrum she finds herself in.

Courtesy: Vertical - Edwin Hodge, Danielle Deadwyler and Aldis Hodge in "Parallel"

"Parallel" takes a unique approach to the concept of parallel universes. The movie tells a compelling story with only three principal actors driving the plot without relying on blockbuster special effects or CGI, forcing the audience to pay attention to their riveting performances in an intimate setting.

The stellar performances by all three actors, most notably Deadwyler, truly set "Parallel" apart. Deadwyler, best known for her exceptional role in Till, where she received many accolades, is tasked with carrying the emotional weight as her character struggles to overcome loss and grief and tries to navigate a path forward. Her solid character development as a confused and grieving mother trying to survive her grief makes the character's journey through the parallel universes all the more intriguing.

Courtesy: Vertical

The movie peaks when Vanessa is faced with multiple doppelgangers of not only herself but Alex and Martel as she's faced with different realities of her own reality that borders on insanity, while trying make sense of what is going on while attempting to find a universe that does not include the loss of her son. It's a lot and refreshingly so, with a surge of intense and suspenseful moments leading to the final acts of the movie.

If Vanessa finds the universe where her son is still alive, how will that impact the universe she is in, which ultimately affects her own reality when the doppelgangers of her husband and husband's brother are entirely different in the alternate universes?

The movie asks what one would do if they found parallel versions of themselves. With a thought-provoking plot and incredible performances, "Parallel" is a movie worth watching.

_____________________

____________________

Parallel is currently streaming on Paramount+.