Richard Crouse

Mile Zero is a film about male vulnerability. Michael Riley plays Derek, a psychologically brittle man who lets jealousy devour him, eventually pushing him to break the law. It’s a family drama about a family gone wrong. Riley excels in his role, as does Connor Widdows, the young boy who plays Derek’s son Wil. I could have used a little less of the home movie flashback scenes, but they did reinforce the sense of loss Derek was experiencing after his wife kicked him out of the house. It’s heart wrenching stuff, and while you can’t condone Derek’s actions, Riley makes him human enough that the viewer can at least understand his behaviour.