The Hodge brother’s film “Parallel,” a remake of the Chinese student film “Parallel Forest,” was released Feb. 23. Based off the consistent let-downs of the films I seem to review (latest being “Argylle”, which I had high hopes for), it was a pleasant surprise. I went into it not knowing what to expect, and I walked away thinking about a story that left a deep impact. It’s sad, it’s emotional, it’s suspenseful and it’s beautifully done in every aspect; the acting is phenomenal, the set is filled with natural beauty, and the soundtrack is immersive and fitting.

The film follows grieving mother Vanessa (Danielle Deadwyler), still devastated over the loss of her son in a car accident a year prior. She and her husband, Alex (Aldis Hodge), and brother-in-law, Martel (Edwin Hodge), escape to the family’s lake house, nestled deep in the forest. Soon after arrival, while on a hike in the woods, Vanessa is attacked by a parallel version of herself from an alternate reality. She soon finds herself lost in a maze of alternate dimensions and parallel realities, encountering dozens of versions of herself, Alex and Martel, all while struggling to balance the idea of the multiverse and the concept that, somewhere, her son might still be alive.

What touched me most, if I had to pick one thing (which I can’t; all of it was great to watch) was the acting. All the characters felt very, very real. Their performances, especially Deadwyler’s portrayal of a shellshocked, grieving woman, were detailed, immersive and memorable. The entire film is both emotionally disturbing, unsettling, and yet so captivating. Both of the Hodge’s roles, especially Aldis Hodge’s portrayal of a father trying to put the past behind him and keep his marriage together were beautifully done.

Put bluntly, the film was great. I’m a huge fan of anything to do with alternate dimensions, and the entire premise of the film was based on a concept I’ve always found fascinating: Hugh Everett’s many-worlds interpretation, a theory stating that, essentially, every outcome of a given situation is physically realized in the creation of a new, alternate universe, leading to a practically endless number of parallel realities.