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Mini Reviews (March 2009)

Gomorra, Nights in Rodanthe, Red Sands, Sunshine Cleaning, Flicka

Gomorra (March 13/09)

It's ultimately more difficult to recall a more frustrating cinematic experience than Matteo Garrone's Gomorra, as the filmmaker slowly but surely squanders the impressively authentic atmosphere by stressing people and situations that couldn't possibly be less interesting. Garrone, along with his five (!) co-writers, essentially drops the viewer into the lives of the film's various characters with little by way of exposition, which proves effective in perpetuating the fly-on-the-wall, documentary-esque vibe that the director is clearly striving for. It's just as clear, however, that the lack of context grows increasingly problematic as Gomorra progresses, with the inherently baffling nature of the many subplots exacerbated by an emphasis on hopelessly inconsequential happenings (ie a classroom filled with sweatshop workers receives a sewing lesson). It's consequently not surprising to note that by the time the pieces finally do start to fall into place, the viewer's interest level has dropped to a point at which it's impossible to work up any sympathy for the movie's almost uniformly downtrodden figures. This is despite Garrone's admittedly strong directorial choices and the inclusion of several unexpected stirring performances, with the latter particularly impressive given the presence of non-actors in virtually all of the film's central roles. The overwhelming absence of viewer-friendly elements inevitably ensures that Gomorra remains unusually uninvolving for the majority of its overlong running time, as watching the movie is primarily an experience akin to joining an episodic television series in the middle of its run.

out of


Nights in Rodanthe (March 20/09)

Infused with an unapologetically shameless atmosphere of sappiness, Nights in Rodanthe primarily comes off as an entertaining yet entirely forgettable romance that nevertheless packs an unexpectedly potent emotional punch as it draws to a close. The film follows a pair of unhappy characters (Diane Lane's Adrienne and Richard Gere's Paul) as they find themselves falling in love after meeting at a rustic inn, with their eventual affair inevitably forcing the couple to confront the various problems within their respective lives. Director George C. Wolfe - working from a screenplay by Ann Peacock and John Romano - has infused Nights in Rodanthe with a distinctly old-fashioned sensibility that undoubtedly mirrors author Nicholas Sparks' eponymous novel, as the unabashed lack of complexity that's been hard-wired into the proceedings is ultimately reminiscent of such previous Sparks adaptations as The Notebook and Message in a Bottle. Despite the overt manner in which virtually every plot twist is telegraphed, however, Nights in Rodanthe generally remains a cut above the majority of its melodramatic brethren - with Gere and Lane's irresistibly charismatic work certainly playing a significant role in the movie's success. The pedestrian build-up eventually gives way to a surprisingly powerful third act, as certain revelations - obvious as they may be, in retrospect - prove to be quite potent in their impact and ensure that the film ultimately earns a place for itself within the pantheon of effectively stirring romantic tearjerkers.

out of


Red Sands (March 24/09)

Director Alex Turner's follow-up to his impressive debut, 2004's Dead Birds, Red Sands follows a group of American soldiers (including Shane West's Jeff Keller, Leonard Roberts' Marcus Howston, and Callum Blue's Gregory Wilcox) as they're confronted with an ancient evil while stranded in the middle of the Afghanistan desert. It's a relatively promising set-up that's generally employed to middling effect by Turner and screenwriter Simon Barrett, with the pair initially bogging the proceedings down with an almost painfully uneventful sensibility - as the film's various characters essentially hunker down within a dilapidated stone house and wait for trouble to ensue. And while the above-average performances and atmospheric visuals prove effective at mildly sustaining the viewer's interest, there inevitably reaches a point at which one can't help but grow impatient for something of substance to occur. The increasingly prevalent emphasis on the protagonists' horrific hallucinations certainly doesn't help matters, as such interludes effectively infuse the proceedings with a been-there-done-that sort of vibe that ultimately proves oppressive - with the interchangeable nature of the movie's various characters only exacerbating this feeling. The end result is an ambitious yet wholly underwhelming endeavor that might've benefited from a much more brief running time, admittedly, although Red Sands' inherently flawed (and downright tedious) premise likely would have spelled doom even for a brisk short film.

out of


Sunshine Cleaning (March 26/09)

Sunshine Cleaning follows a pair of squabbling sisters (Amy Adams' Rose and Emily Blunt's Norah) as they attempt to start up (and maintain) a crime-scene cleaning business, with the bulk of the proceedings subsequently following their efforts at dealing with a variety of work-related incidents and personal problems. Director Christine Jeffs has infused Sunshine Cleaning with a low-key, almost unassuming visual style that ideally complements Megan Holley's subtle screenplay, yet there's little doubt that it's the uniformly stellar (and downright captivating) performances that prove instrumental in sustaining the viewer's interest. Adams' ingratiating work as the perpetually sunny Rose is effectively counterbalanced by Blunt's turn as her sullen sibling, while there's certainly no denying the exemplary efforts of the film's periphery performers - with Clifton Collins Jr.'s sympathetic, flat-out engrossing stint as Rose's one-armed benefactor (and potential suitor) Winston standing out amidst a supporting cast that includes Alan Arkin, Steven Zahn, and Mary Lynn Rajskub. The almost episodic nature of Holley's script admittedly does ensure that certain sequences and subplots don't fare as well as others - ie Norah's ongoing encounters with Rajskub's Lynn can't help but come off as fairly needless in the big picture - and it's ultimately clear that the movie could've benefited from some judicious pruning around its edges. The inclusion of several genuinely touching moments within the movie's third act makes it simple enough to overlook such problems, however, and Sunshine Cleaning finally (and firmly) establishes itself as a charming and easy-going indie treat.

out of


Flicka (March 28/09)

Based on a novel by Mary O'Hara, Flicka follows a rebellious teen (Alison Lohman's Katy McLaughlin) as she befriends a wild stallion over the course of one particularly eventful summer - much to the chagrin of her old-fashioned and overly protective father (Tim McGraw's Rob). Though filmmaker Michael Mayer effectively peppers the proceedings with a number of striking sequences - ie Flicka runs through a herd of quarter-horses and leads them on a chase - Flicka suffers from a pervasively inauthentic atmosphere that's ultimately exacerbated by the underwhelming performances and almost unreasonably sluggish pace. In terms of the former, Lohman proves utterly unable to convincingly step into the shoes of a free-spirited young girl - with the actress' advanced age ensuring that Katy, rather than possessing the countenance of a typically ebullient teenager, primarily comes off as a dangerously obsessive and emotionally unbalanced figure (ie her fixation on the title creature is nothing short of baffling and it subsequently becomes awfully difficult not to side with her father on the issue). Likewise, McGraw's less-than-competent work sticks out like a sore thumb amidst a surprisingly strong supporting cast that includes Maria Bello, Dallas Roberts, and Ryan Kwanten (with the latter's turn as Katy's older brother providing the film with one its few intriguing subplots). And although the movie does improve slightly as it enters its unexpectedly eventful third act, Flicka's inability to hold the viewer's interest for more than a few minutes at a time inevitably cements its place as an entirely needless piece of work.

out of

© David Nusair