Isaac Hirotsu Woofter's Bound’ speaks about a daughter’s love for her mother

By Mythily Ramachandran

Bound’ champions the cause of those suffering from trauma. 

NYC filmmaker Isaac Hirotsu Woofter marks his debut with 'Bound,' pivoted around Bella (Alexandra Faye Sadeghian) a young woman with an artistic bent of mind. Adept at recycling waste metals into beautiful artifacts- a skill she learnt from her deceased father- Bella is keen on joining the prestigious New York Art School. But putting a spoke into her dreams is her intimidating and over protective step father Gordy (Bryant Carroll). A drug user, Gordy makes life one hell for Bella and her mother. 

The film opens with Bella realizing that Gordy has hidden the admission letter from the university.  Angry and emboldened with a gun in her hand, she sends Gordy away but he soon returns as Bella’s mother fails to assert herself and hands back the house keys to him. 

Alexandra Faye Sadeghian plays the lead role of Bella

Much frustrated, Bella leaves home one night bound for New York city, taking her pet squirrel, Bandit along. How does Bella manage in the big city of New York with not a penny on her and no family or friends for help?

Taking up a job as a barista in a coffee shop Bella finds a new friend in Owais (Ramin Karimloo) the café owner.  Another friendship is struck with a queer designer Standrick (Jaye Alexander) who impresses Bella with his coat designs. Marta (Jessica Pimentel) an undocumented immigrant trying to secure a life in the country offers Bella lodging in the bar she manages.  

Ramin Karimloo as Owais

Jaye Alexander as Standrick

The story is not just about Bella’s survival away from home but speaks largely of her love for her mother whom she tries to rescue from Gordy. Does she succeed? 

Jessica Pimentel plays Marta

Woofter has written, produced, and directed multiple book trailers for New York Times best -selling authors. He has also played lead roles, including the Tony award-winning Broadway show WAR HORSE. 

'Bound' suffers from good writing. The screenplay is patchy, and when culminating in the end reminds one of a Bollywood masala film lacking conviction and logic. 

What lingers is the performances of the actors. Alexandra Faye Sadeghian impresses as Bella bringing out the vulnerability and pain of the young woman who is caught in a helpless situation with her mother.  Bryantt Caroll as Gordy leaves a mark too. Gordy’s mood swings- one moment angry and domineering, the next minute apologetic and crying-that called for effort. 

 

Bryantt Caroll plays Gordy

Jessica Pimental, Jaye Alexander and Ramin Karimloo lend good support. The camera work of Maximilian Lewan and Jake Simpson is brilliant, especially the shots in the night, they stay in the mind. ‘Bound’ champions the cause of those suffering from trauma. 

Brilliant camera work in 'Bound'

In a press statement director Woofter said, ‘When boys struggle, we are told to be strong, to squash our emotions, to figure things out on our own. Girls are now told the same. It is bullshit. All of it. We should be allowed to feel, to fear and to fail.’ 

Woofter wrote ‘Bound’ ‘to remind people that no matter what level of adversity we face, it is OK to cry, to admit defeat, to ask for help, because we are not alone and with the right kind of support things can and will get better.’