Film Review: The Tributaries

Film Threat

(Read the full review at the source)

Directed by Kat Gueli, The Tributaries is an emotional indie drama about love, loss, and the unseen mental health struggles people face. Anchored by strong performances from Catharine Daddario and Sky Nelson, the film follows two young adults whose unlikely friendship leads to an unexpected bond shaped by grief and mental illness.

Robbie (Catharine Daddario) is a college student forced to balance the demands of school while caring for her ailing mother, Debbie (Shannan Wilson). Often, she uses school as an excuse to escape the responsibilities a child has toward a sick parent. Robbie’s life takes an unexpected turn when she runs into her philosophy classmate, Drew (Sky Nelson), who offers her a CD with a special curated playlist as an awkward attempt at connection. Their first encounters are tense and quirky, but ultimately Drew’s persistence wins him a first date—on the condition that Robbie drives.

I’ll be honest. I didn’t think I’d respond to The Tributaries, but I did. The moment that Drew and Robbie meet for the first time was pretty cringeworthy—especially when Drew starts dancing to Hanson’s “Mmmbop.” Then it all changes when we learn Drew’s secret and see how it affects Robbie’s relationship with her mother.