Review: Grant Rosenmeyer and Paul Raci tackle grief in ‘The Secret Art of Human Flight’

Paul Raci and Grant Rosenmeyer
in ‘The Secret Art of Human Flight.’ Photo Courtesy of Level 33 Entertainment

Grant Rosenmeyer and Academy Award nominee Paul Raci (“Sound of Metal”) star in the new movie “The Secret Art of Human Flight,” where they tackle grief.

The synopsis is: After the sudden death of his wife, children’s book author Ben Grady (Grant Rosenmeyer) goes through an extreme mourning process, alienating himself from his sister Gloria (Lucy DeVito) and her husband Tom (Nican Robinson).

When Ben stumbles upon the dark web, he discovers a mysterious self-help book written by an enigmatic guru named “Mealworm” (Oscar nominee Paul Raci), who claims to have harnessed the power to fly.

The book arrives… and so does Mealworm, forcing Ben to navigate his family life, accusations of foul play, and the bizarre rituals laid before him by his new mentor, in the hopes of healing and ultimately achieving human flight.

Grant Rosenmeyer and Paul Raci are hilarious in their scenes together. One of the highlights is when “Mealworm” talks about existential sacrifice.

Lucy DeVito is remarkable as Gloria, and everybody in this cast offers something unique to the overall story.

The Verdict

“The Secret Art of Human Flight” paints an intimate yet whimsical portrait on the subject matter of grief, and it does so in a raw and authentic fashion. The direction by H.P. Mendoza is solid, and it ought to be enjoyed for its beauty and simplicity.

This is a quirky tale about connection and exploring life’s conflicted feelings. Paul Raci delivers a commanding performance, and he steals every scene he is in as Mealworm. This film garners four out of five stars.