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It is easy for us to dismiss what we can’t explain with either reason, logic, or science; however, Strange but True asks you to believe, even if it makes no sense.

Strange but True follows Phillip (Nick Robinson), who, back from the city with a broken leg,is staying with his mother (Amy Ryan) when his dead brother’s girlfriend, Melissa (Margaret Qualley) shows up at their doorstep pregnant. Melissa claims that Ronnie, Phillip’s brother, is the father, since she has never been with anyone else. Since Ronnie died almost five years ago, Melissa believes this is a supernatural miracle. Naturally, his mother doesn’t think it’s Ronnie’s baby, and Philip has no idea what to believe. What none of them knew is that the truth would be much darker than all of their expectations.

The plot is interesting as it keeps you intrigued for a good while of its runtime, taking you down several paths that could lead to the truth. However, the “action” starts after an hour and lasts for just over thirty minutes, where several twists reveal the truth and its consequences. The buildup to the reveal is interesting, but perhaps the film could have consumed a little less time in building up the plot and added more depth into the revelation and consequences.

While the incorporation of flashbacks of Ronnie’s death added a mystical aspect and depth to the plot, the implausibility of the final scene was disappointing. Forcing what could be deemed as a happy ending, it ends with a pointless phrase by Melissa –the narrator- which left many of the audience unsatisfied.

For the acting, Nick Robinson’s performance was mediocre throughout the film’s first and second act, but his talent surfaced in the feature’s last 30 minutes. Amy Ryan’s performance definitely showed the built-up anger of a grieving mother, with her constant outbursts and strong language. Margaret Qualley has a mystical aura in her performance that was intended to suggest that her character’s pregnancy might be supernatural, but she also excelled elsewhere, such as the giving birth sequence. Playing Melissa’s loving neighbours Gail and Bill, Blythe Danner and Brian Cox gave very strong performances that even outweighed those of the younger cast.

If you have patience and don’t care about the point of the film, Strange but True has an exciting 30 minutes for you, filled with twists and really good performances.