In the immortal words of Chef Gusteau, “anyone can cook”. But Remy the rat counters that, yes, anyone can cook, but not everyone should cook. Of course, he eventually comes to learn that it’s not one’s circumstances which determine whether or not someone is great at something; rather, it’s their passion and determination in spite of the odds. On the surface, Brad Bird’s animated masterpiece has nothing to do with What Tomorrow Brings, but it does show that anyone can bring their passion to life, in spite of the overwhelming odds.

Matt Engelbert – who also writes the screenplay along with Joely and Phoebe Engelbert – seemingly had no budget whatsoever when making his directorial debut. Yes, it’s fairly obvious from the opening minutes of What Tomorrow Brings, even if you don’t have the press notes stating that the film was shot entirely on an iPhone. However, this review won’t harp on the film’s cheap look or lack of resources. Indeed, that wasn’t the point of Engelbert’s endeavor. He seemingly wanted to simply create something, anything, and put it out into the world. At a time when the guardrails for emerging filmmakers have never been higher, there’s something admirable about seeing Engelbert’s passion come to life.

Your reaction to Engelbert’s heavy inclusion of his own family in What Tomorrow Brings probably says something about your own worldview more than anything. If you’re cynical, you could say that he used free/cheap labor because nobody else was available. If you’re optimistic, you could see it as him providing an opportunity, a starting point, for what could be fruitful careers. Joely and Phoebe, Matt Engelbert’s daughters, are put front and center as on-screen sisters Clara and Ruby, with the former looking after the latter once their mother abandons them.

At its heart, What Tomorrow Brings is a coming-of-age film, where Clara is forced to grow up before she can fully do so herself. Clara is your average high school senior. She dreams of a life as a performer in her band and likes her boyfriend, but knows it probably won’t last a lifetime. She’s still reeling from her father’s death, but it hasn’t affected her as hard as it has her mother, who decides to leave her biological children on (I kid you not) Ruby’s ninth birthday. Unforced errors within the script aside, the film shows a complicated sisterhood that clearly extends beyond the confines of the film, and it becomes the best aspect within What Tomorrow Brings.

If you came to this review hoping for more details or analysis within the story of Engelbert’s film, I apologize for how short-sighted it is. But my greater impression of What Tomorrow Brings spurred more introspective thoughts than a particular character or story beat. I don’t think anyone walking in to a straight-to-VOD, zero-budget iPhone feature is expecting to walk away with an experience equivalent to seeing The Odyssey. But such is the magic of making film, or art, or running a marathon, or opening a restaurant. Through sheer force of will, Engelbert has joined that rare percentage of people who has made their dreams into reality. And for that, I can’t help but be impressed.

What Tomorrow Brings is now available for rent or purchase on VOD.

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