Variety | A father and daughter search the skies for UFOs while a healthy relationship is alien to them in this quietly resonant drama.

Don’t be surprised if the finale of “Acidman” doesn’t summon the cathartic feelings suggested by its premise, wherein an eccentric recluse and his estranged daughter try to heal their familial fracture. Director Alex Lehmann (“Blue Jay,” “Paddleton”) shrewdly chooses not to construct his strife-filled scenarios this way. Rather, those emotions tend to hit later, unfolding long after the credits roll. The film’s poignancy lies in the way these characters authentically grow from their jagged-edged conflicts, enlightening each other on their issues while bridging their cavernous divide. Though not without its flaws, this resonant, resourceful indie drama leaves a gentle imprint on audiences’ souls.

Thirtysomething Maggie (Dianna Agron) is clearly carrying a lot of baggage, both emotional and physical, when she arrives at her father Lloyd’s (Thomas Haden Church) decrepit trailer deep in the Pacific Northwest. She’s traveled thousands of miles to reunite with him, though she’s unsure if he even lives at the address she’s unearthed, let alone if he wants to see her decades after he abandoned their family and his career as an engineer. She’s seeking not only solace regarding the questions swirling inside her head, but also sanctuary from personal woes tied to her marriage.

The ice quickly breaks between the two after Maggie accidentally rams Lloyd with her rental car. Though it’s expectedly awkward at first, she adapts to his offbeat ways, tagging along with him and his canine companion Migo on their nightly treks into the woods to tape what he thinks are UFOs communicating with him. It’s bizarre, but she remains steadfast in her quest to find clarity about Lloyd’s reasons for leaving her in her teen years. He senses a similar tendency brewing in her, and is curious why she’s left her husband and what she’s hoping to gain. Read More

Next Best Picture recently did a lengthy interview with Dianna about her upcoming film Acidman, which she both starred in and directed. It’s a great interview, and you can listen to it on podcast apps, such as Spotify and iTunes Podcasts – or you can watch it below.

“Acidman” had its world premiere at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, where it received positive notices for the performances from Academy Award nominee Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways”) and “Glee” star Dianna Agron for their work as an estranged father whose daughter travels across the country to visit him only to discover that he’s starting to lose his mind in his search for UFO’s. Dianna was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about working with Haden Church, collaborating with director and co-writer Alex Lehmann, her own relationship with her father, and more. Please take a listen below and be sure to check out the film this weekend from Brainstorm Media in limited release and on demand.

We finally have the first trailer for Dianna’s latest film ACIDMAN, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last year! The film will be released in select theaters and on On-Demand on Friday, March 31.

Maggie (Dianna Agron) arrives at a small, run-down house in the middle of nowhere to find it defaced by big orange letters reading ACIDMAN and learns that this is the locals’ nickname for her reclusive father (Thomas Haden Church). After a decade apart, Maggie’s offhand explanation for her visit is that she just wanted to check in on him, but this doesn’t ring true considering how difficult he was to find. The two awkwardly want to get to know one another (Dad seems more comfortable talking through his dog Migo, or through Bobby, Maggie’s childhood sock puppet friend), but are at the same time scared about what increasing familiarity will bring.

After Dad reluctantly brings her on one of his nighttime outings, Maggie realizes that his obsession with UFOs and communicating with extraterrestrial beings has only intensified over the years. She struggles to understand him, his single-mindedness and deteriorating mental health, all the while with her own life-changing news to share. Letting their relationship ebb and flow through anger, silly jokes, tender gestures, and sadness, director Alex Lehmann leads the film in a beautiful meditation on the cyclical nature of parenthood and the longing for connection.