Second Stage: A Glimpse into a Day Transiting Through Grief

Keelay Moore James’s autobiographical Second Stage follows a woman through a day of grappling with grief as she goes through the anger stage of it. Her brother, a dogged companion, keeps steady watch over her lest her anger turn any more inwards. By the end of the day, Keelay may not have moved much further through anger, but her brother kept her from worse. 

It is fitting that when we meet Keelay (Joy E. Johnson), she is in running clothes and getting ready to leave. However long the denial stage was, it is now over. Her brother, Ivan (Sean B. Jones) is ready to take on the mantle of caring for her, however prickly Keelay may be with him—the perfect foil. 

Though the camerawork is rough, the writing gives them a walk-and-talk narrative, allowing for naturalistic dialogue that affords the viewer only glimpses of what their histories are and where their lives are currently. Wherever it may diverge, the discussion returns to family. Keelay’s daughters, their parents, and a little bit of Ivan. Of the many things and people that Keelay is angry with, Ivan is among them. Unlike the others, Ivan is present, giving Keelay the privilege of upbraiding him. The relationship between the two siblings emerges as something tender, certainly for the day Keelay is having. Keelay charges, Ivan indulges. 

Johnson and Jones’s performances are a mixed bag, alternating between them for the better performance. The editing improves the general pacing and tone of the film, especially as it heads into the climax and the cuts fully take charge of the story. 

Second Stage blends realism with the psychological to portray the grief of a woman whose life has been fragmented by the loss of an integral piece. In its absence, Keelay can only try to be functional and ordinary while relentlessly tripping over the missing bit.