Imagine that you found a wild tiger locked in a cage in the middle of the woods. Would you let it go or let it stay in the enclosure? That’s the dilemma that 12-year-old Rob Horton faces in the film “The Tiger Rising.” Based on a New York Times best-selling book by Kate DiCamillo, the film focuses on Rob and his friend. Rob is dealing with the loss of his mother. His classmates constantly make fun of him because he and his father moved into a motel after his mother’s death. Rob has a hard time dealing with the emotions of the loss because he won’t allow himself to feel his feelings. He eventually meets Sistine, a spunky new girl who constantly gets into fights because of her attitude. The two band together and try to figure out how to release the tiger from its cage.

Quaid plays the man who initially showed him the tiger in the cage, while Queen Latifah plays a maid who helps Rob and his friend along the way. Dennis Quaid’s character asks Rob to come out now and then to check on the tiger and feed it, giving him the keys to the cage. After finding the tiger, Rob’s imagination starts running wild while trying to find ways to release it. While allowing his imagination to flourish, Rob struggles with whether he should release the tiger or keep it in the cage. Eventually, Rob and his friend use the tiger as a strong point. When they’re dealing with issues, they tap into the power of the tiger to get through them. Thinking of ways to release the tiger also helps the friends tap into their imagination.

“The Tiger Rising” is a film about Rob dealing with the loss of his mother and Sistine coping with her anger issues, but there’s also a more profound message. When you’re dealing with the loss of a loved one, especially a parent, it can be easy to stuff your feelings down and tell yourself you’ll deal with them later. However, that approach only makes things worse. Rob is only 12-years-old, so he may not have the emotional capacity to process his emotions. Meanwhile, Sistine is going through the same thing. She’s having difficulty dealing with her feelings and chooses to bottle up her anger and lash out instead of dealing with them immediately.

Rob and Sistine are brought together and left with the difficult decision to let the tiger go or keep it caged. This film also centers on the power of friendship; Rob and Sistine’s friendship eventually cracks both of their emotional shells, helping each other bring down their defense walls. “The Tiger Rising” is a beautiful story about how your imagination and friendship can set you free from your emotional sorrows. When you’re going through hard times, it’s always best to reach out for help from others instead of internalizing how you feel.

Let your imagination run! Watch me in my new family adventure movie trailer @TigerRisingFilm out NOW.  THE TIGER RISING in theaters on January 21st. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM: www.tigerrisingfilm.com.