Since her appearance in Stranger Things’ season four premiere, Grace Van Dien has been one of young Hollywood’s most in-demand indie actors. As Chrissy, Van Dien may only have had a handful of scenes, but her performance left an impression. This is a common thread with her latest film – screening at Glasgow Film Festival – Silver Star.
In Silver Star, Grace Van Dien plays pregnant teenager Franny who finds herself taken hostage in a bank robbery gone awry. The perpetrator of the robbery is the freshly released from prison, Bille (Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson), who is desperate to raise money to stop her estranged parents house being taken from them. The odd couple pairing of Franny and Billie are thrust together in a cross-country adventure, but as the miles lengthen, an unlikely bond forms.
Silver Star follows as these two damaged souls connect and their fledgling bond is beautiful to watch flourish. It is, however, a surface level look into both characters, with neither Franny or Billie explored deep enough to leave lasting impressions, but this does not stop the performances from being solid. As Billie, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, communicates a quiet rage at the world and their circumstances. For Franny, Grace Van Dien unleashes her inner Alabama Worley, just with a lot more cursing. Despite her bravado, Franny’s vulnerability is plain to see, and Van Dien wields it perfectly to tap into the audience’s emotional core. Together, Johnson and Van Dien make excellent screen partners, the chemistry of the two, papering over narrative cracks and tropes.
Played as both road movie and coming-of-age story, drama and comedy, Silver Star’s closest comparison would be that of Thelma and Louise. Due to the bank robbery, the duo are on the run and their, or more specifically Billie’s, wanted status, mean that they must rely on each other over the kindness of strangers. The road movie component of the story ensures that there are plenty of beautiful landscapes, with a significant portion of the film unfolding within the wooded environment of nature. For the coming-of-age side of the story, both Franny and Billie slowly come to terms with their different circumstances and learn to be comfortable in their own skin, claiming their identities. Wrapped around this angst, is a thick vein of wry humour that serves to endear this duo to the audience.
For a debut feature, Silver Star has some beautiful cinematography and an interesting premise. The result is not quite as robust as it could be, but the strong and assured performances of Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson and Grace Van Dien ensure that watching Silver Star never becomes a chore.
Silver Star
Summary
Silver Star follows in the great tradition of road movies, with the added inclusion of coming of age, and whilst it does not reinvent either genre, it is a pleasant entry into the pantheon.
Silver Star was reviewed at Glasgow Film Festival 2025.
