The heart of America

Faith and courage. It’s the central theme in “25 Hill,” a movie based on the All-American Soap Box Derby. But there could be a third word worked in as well — heart.

As in, this film has a lot of it.

Written, directed, produced and starring Corbin Bernsen, the movie was viewed in Culpeper last weekend as part of its grassroots world premiere tour.

Inspired by a story he read in USA Today, Bernsen wanted to create a film that got to the heart of the soap box derby — family, respect, teamwork and community.

“25 Hill” captures that and more.

The story is like many we’ve heard before — it centers on loss, pain, sadness, redemption and love. But the presentation is wrapped in the sleek stylings of the derby, with the love of the race erupting from the California landscape and finally settling down in the prestige of the Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio.

Nathan Gamble portrays Trey Caldwell, a young boy who’s father surprises him one Christmas with a derby car the two will work together to finish. They never do.

Thomas Caldwell is an Army Reservist and is called to active duty in Afghanistan. The emotion in the scene where Trey and his mother receive the news that Thomas isn’t coming home is heart-wrenching and realistic.

Trey’s grief is palatable. He attacks the derby car, knocking it over with disgust — angry at anything and everything that has taken his father from him.

“What happened here,” his mother Maggie (Maureen Flannigan) asks.

“A momentary lapse in judgment,” Trey answers succinctly.

He later revisits it and attempts to build the car with his mother, to little success. When his principal Mrs. Banner (Rolanda Watts) says he should meet someone that he has something in common with, it brings him face to face with the gruffness of Roy Gibbs (Bernsen).

Gibbs, a firefighter with a drinking problem, lost his son during 9/11 and now has no faith or need for his country or Trey. Until he finds out that Trey is building a soap box derby car, a sport which Gibbs raced in during his younger days.

That leads to a budding relationship — a “surrogate father-son relationship” as Trey puts it — as the two overcome obstacles and hang ups to reach the goal of racing in the derby in Akron.

But it’s not only Trey and Roy that need help, but the derby itself.

Trey and Roy discover that the event that encapsules true American spirit has fell on hard times.

Mirroring the grassroots campaign that Bernsen is using to promote the film, Trey goes to Youtube to save his beloved sport.

The ending is unexpected and yet realistic, a simple scene wrapping up the emotion of Trey’s journey.

“25 Hill” is to the soap box derby as “Field of Dreams” is to baseball. It envelopes the community and family nature that the derby promotes and is able to channel that into a realistic and believable film.

The emotion of the race is felt as the wheels of Trey’s car click clack on the asphalt as he takes on his rival Kate Slater, and the race could just as well be happening in Culpeper as it is in California.

In the end, the movie is about saving what is dear to you, and any fan of the soap box derby will appreciate “25 Hill.”

Bernsen’s film is also helping preserve the derby as proceeds are donated to local tracks and the All-American Derby.

DVDs can be purchased at Kay-Kay’s Printing & Stationary in downtown Culpeper or by emailing ftgilmore@gmail.com.