AN INVISIBLE SIGN

AN INVISIBLE SIGN
     JESSICA ALBA  CHRIS MESSINA  SONIA BRAGA  JOHN SHEA  J.K. SIMMONS

MONA (ALBA) AND HER FATHER (SHEA) SHARE A LOVE FOR TWO THINGS: RUNNING AND MATH.  ONE DAY HER FATHER IS STRUCK WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, WHICH DEVASTATES MONA SO MUCH THAT SHE GIVES UP EVERYTHING THAT SHE ENJOYED DOING THINKING IT WILL HELP CURE HER FATHER, EXCEPT MATH.  AS A RESULT, AS AN ADULT THE ONLY INTEREST MONA HAS IN HER LIFE IS MATH.  THROUGH ACTIONS OF HER MOTHER (BRAGA) MONA MOVES OUT ON HER OWN AND TAKES A JOB AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER.  IT IS THROUGH HER STUDENTS, A FORMER TEACHER (SIMMONS) AND A FELLOW TEACHER (MESSINA) THAT MONA FINALLY LEARNS WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT.
THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME STRANGE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THIS MOVIE: THE CONSEQUENCES OF BRINGING AN AXE INTO A THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM, STUDENTS FIGHTING OVER A FAKE ARM AND A GIRL WEARING A WREATH MADE OUT OF MEDICAL IV TUBING.  THERE ARE SOME TOUCHING MOMENTS: THE FLASHBACKS SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MONA AND HER FATHER, THE WISH OF A DYING MOTHER TO HAVE MONA CHECK IN ON HER DAUGHTER AND THE GROWING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MONA AND HER STUDENTS.  THEN THERE IS THE QUIRKINESS OF MONA: KNOCKING ON WOOD WHEN LONELY, RUNNING AWAY FROM ANYTHING THAT IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND EATING SOAP TO GET RID OF ANY GOOD FEELINGS SHE MAY BE HAVING.  THIS ALL ADDS UP TO A WELL WRITTEN, DIRECTED AND ACTED MOVIE.
RATING  3 OUT OF 5