A Light Beneath Their Feet is an indie drama film directed by Valerie Weiss and written by Moira McMahon of Grey's Anatomy fame.
Beth Gerringson (Madison Davenport) is a high school senior who is taking care of her mother Gloria (Taryn Manning) who has bipolar disorder. During the last few weeks at school, she plans to go to college in California but Gloria wants her to go to a local college and stay to take care of her. Now Beth has to choose between enrolling at the college of her dreams and remaining at home with Gloria, all while she falls in love with troubled teen Jeremy.
Noted for being one of Madison Davenport's few leading roles.
The film provides examples of:
- All Take and No Give: What the relationship between Daschulla and Jeremy seems to be. As you’d expect, it doesn’t last very long.
- Alpha Bitch: Daschulla.
- Alliterative Name: Gloria Gerringson.
- Anime Hair: Daschulla’s hair is dyed aqua.
- Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Jeremy and Beth, though it's justified in his case.
- Chiaroscuro: The night scenes are lit like this. Even some of the day scenes have a smokey grey look to them.
- Cooldown Hug: Happens twice between Gloria and Beth. The first being when Gloria is off her meds and Beth finally admits she can't care for her anymore. The second is at the end with Beth and Gloria embracing each other on the hospital bed.
- Coming of Age Story: The film is about Beth trying to come to terms with caring for her mother and wanting to live her own life.
- Evil Is Petty: Daschulla exposes Gloria’s mental state to the school and then has her pills switched to cause a breakdown seemingly because Jeremy dumped her for Beth. She’s even called out on it by her dad.
- Loners Are Freaks: The other students at the school view Jeremy as some kind of freak who slept with his teacher, with a co-worker of Beth's even assuming he's a stalker. In reality, it's due to him being molested by his female teacher.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Jeremy was sexually assaulted by his female teacher and she is stated to be in prison.
- Sanity Slippage: Gloria goes through a brief one when she’s given the wrong medication, which causes her to snap at Beth and culminates with her in the high school kitchen re-arranging all the appliances and talking to herself.
- Teen Pregnancy: Implied in Gloria's case, as her and Beth's actresses are 18 years apart.
