Natural Selection (2016 film)

Natural Selection is a 2016 American drama film written and directed by Chad Scheifele, and starring Mason Dye, Ryan Munzert, Anthony Michael Hall, Katherine McNamara and Amy Carlson. It is based on Scheifele's 2009 short film of the same name.

Plot
Tyler and his mother Laura are recent arrivals in town. As the new kid in the local high school, Tyler is soon torn, being drawn in one direction by the local rebel Indrid, and in another by Paige, a sweet girl who tutors some of the local students.

Cast

 * Mason Dye as Tyler
 * Ryan Munzert as Indrid
 * Anthony Michael Hall as Mr. Stevenson
 * Katherine McNamara as Paige
 * Amy Carlson as Laura
 * Tyler Elliot Burke as Matt
 * Esther Zyskind as Angela
 * Ryan Boudreau as Steve
 * Michael Nikolich as Wesley
 * Anthony Del Negro as Brian
 * Tyler Garamella as Josh
 * Anna Friedman as Samantha
 * Catherine Missal as Tiffany
 * Makenzie Hughes as Catherine

Reception
John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a negative review and wrote, "Failing to live up to the itchy possibilities of that premise, this debut feature plays like a glum after-school special whose jealousies and painful secrets project little heat. Theatrical prospects are poor, and, with supporting player Anthony Michael Hall the most familiar name in the cast, its appeal on video is not much stronger." Michael Rechtshaffen of the Los Angeles Times also gave the film a negative review and wrote "There’s little that comes off as 'natural' in Natural Selection, a stiffly heavy-handed, drawn-out, faith-based drama about a Christ-like teen struggling to find his true path."