Review: Truth Saves the World
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“Truth Saves the World” stars Faith Nibbe as “Truth Monroe.”
Reviewed by Eric Larson: The pilot episode of “Truth Saves the World”, created and directed by Shyla Nibbe, had its World Premiere in June at Dances With Films in Hollywood. In it, we follow Truth Monroe, a black teen mathlete facing the perils of puberty and her growing awareness of systemic injustices in the world around her. While Truth Saves the World struggles to thread the needle between delivering a broad tween coming-of-age comedy and tackling serious societal issues, it delivers an earnest and optimistic tale of teen anxiety, friendship, and family.
Truth is the archetypical every-girl in a house of familiar sit-com characters: The dorky and bumbling father (affably portrayed by Jeff Warden), who struggles as a military husband while his wife is deployed overseas; the wise yet fun-loving Grandma Rose (a delightful Erika Bowen) navigates aging and being the mother-figure in the home; and, of course, the annoying younger sisters (real-life siblings Kennedy and Mackenzie Nibbe). All of these characters are shadowed by a loving, yet absent, military mother (voiced by Shyla Nibbe). Truth’s school life is populated by a similar array of sitcom stalwarts. Camila (Vivian Romero), her mathlete rival-turned-friend, and her math teacher (Nic Hodges) bring a broad declarative comedic style which is contrasted by dramatic scenes of bullying.
Faith Nibbe, in a charming debut as the titular Truth Monroe, brings authenticity to the beleaguered eighth-grader. Despite her youth, she serves as a solid anchor for the uneven tone of the show. While inconsistent, Faith’s delivery of expositional monologues serves as a guiding point for what the show could become. This is further bolstered by a particularly poignant conversation with her Grandma Rose. Erika Bowen brings a rich warmth to Grandma Rose’s lesson about Black and Female empowerment, exhorting Truth to not “[…] let people who don’t understand you have any say in who you are”. These types of genuine moments are what give “Truth Saves the World” its charm.
All-In-One Production Management
Other relationships are not quite as successfully executed. Jeff Warden’s well-intentioned turn as Truth’s Dad successfully portrays the father’s off-beat personality but struggles to bring the nuance of a loving father doing his absolute best to raise three daughters without the direct support of his partner. Vivian Romero has difficulty bringing authenticity to Truth’s frenemy Camila, with her performative choices contrasting with the show’s generally more grounded tone.
Shyla Nibbe’s direction is a laudable effort. Technically, the show is well-shot. Given the budgetary constraints of the indie project, the audio-visual quality is excellent. Alongside a bouncy acapella soundtrack, reminiscent of Glee’s interstitial riffs, the world that Truth saves is fun and inviting. Where the show struggles is in capturing comedic timing. The witty sitcom banter often flags where it should ramp, leaving the audience a step ahead of what could be an excellent youthful comedy.
Overall, “Truth Saves the World” has its peaks and valleys. While it is uneven in its execution of an ambitious dramedy tight-rope walk. the style of the show would fit perfectly in a youth-driven programming slot and its handling of heavy subject matter could bring real value to a young audience. Despite comedic pacing issues and inexperienced younger actors, “Truth Saves the World” delivers an uplifting portrayal of teen life in a digital America.
Written and Directed by Shyla Nibbe and starring Faith Nibbe, Jeff Warden, Erika Bowen, Vivian Romero, LaRon Hines, Nic Hodges, Kennedy Nibbe, Mackenzie Nibe, and Eddie Atienza.
