At Ground Zero
movie
Tom and Aysha are at the economic bottom of the LA scene; no money, on drugs, and selling themselves to exist. Tom brains his drug dealer, steals his drugs and the two split town by bus and thumb, heading 'home'. Hitching a ride from a quixotic, dangerous character, Bubba, they put up with his advances until he too is ejected from his own car as the two free themselves from all restraint. Aysha starts a real spiral into heroin, as Tom joins in, but spirits are high. They run into a hilarious character, Carman, who they enlist in their fun, as the trip escalates into the threesomes' investigation of freedom, drugs, and abandonment. Carman leaves the duo, and Aysha falls into a drug appetite Tom can't understand and in frustration he hurts her. Together, but separate, they endure the car ride as they head for Minneapolis and home. In the end, the couples explore the detritus of their family, and lives, and even in betrayal have passion for each other. On a final, bittersweet note, Carman continues his self-destructive ways, as some hope endures.\u2014IvanWong