There are a few qualities that The New Year Parade does possess, some of which include good acting, filming and editing but it is a film that lacks a strong lasting impression. Although, the film may not be all that memorable, it should still be applauded with what it did with such a low budget.

The New Year Parade focused around a family that is going through a difficult time dealing with a recent separation. Siblings Jack (Greg Lyons) and Kat (Jennifer Welsh) are the main characters of the film. Kat is finding it very difficult to deal with all the fighting between her parents and Jack is there trying to help her out.

Kat wants to prove that she is able to be in an actual relationship with her boyfriend, but she is reluctant. This is due because of her parents recently going through a break up, so she is hesitant. Because of the pressure from her boyfriend, she gets birth control pills but you can tell she is uncomfortable about it. While at a party she and her boyfriend get intimate and again she becomes scared and says no. Her boyfriend becomes very upset and quite literally asks, “What do I need you for?” after she denies him sex. She knows deep down that this relationship will only end up where her parents did, nowhere.

Ultimately, The New Year Parade is about relationships and how people deal with them. Jack with the random girl from bar. Kat with her boyfriend of four months, which she can feel is not a long term. Even down to the cat seeking attention from Jack’s girlfriend. It is evident that is the message the director was trying to portray as the take is quite long and cat is determined for affection.

This film was nominated at the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards for the John Cassavetes Award. In order to qualify for this award, the budget of the film has to be under $500,000. This film was definitely shot well under that but it doesn’t necessarily show that. It is directed, shot and edited very well for a low budget film.

The music was chosen and placed very well in the film. It really seemed to fit the mood well. This may seem like a simple achievement, but a misplaced song can really wreck the mood and throw off the emotion of the scene. Where as well placed tracks only add to the feel of the film.

The New Year Parade has a very genuine feel to it which works both for and against it. It works for it because it allows you to relate to it fairly easy, it’s very believable. It works against it a little because it’s all too real and nothing out of the ordinary really happens, it does not really have a gripping story or a memorable one.