Just saw Elizabethtown and I really liked it! :)


The film student in me can clearly see the problems the film has, mainly in its pacing and editing (and perhaps an over-reliance on the music near the start). But me the human being was totally carried along with the film. So much of it seemed especially relevant for me at the moment: stuff with my dad, with failure and the seeming absence of future. When Drew cried in the car near the end I cried too. And as well as this, there was the good stuff: like the way that Drew's discovery of Kentucky often mirrored my own experiences coming to the US. Despite all the differences to Michigan, so much of it felt a familiar landscape to me -- a home, as it were. And I left the cinema happier than when I went in, and with a lot to think about. It's one of those films that I think will stay with me and resonate.

Film critics are cynical. A story that offers some hope -- a way to survive, music, laughter, expression -- is not going to be a surefire hit with them. But they can focus on the negatives of the film if they have to; I just can't understand why Orlando is coming under attack for it. It's his best performance so far (J agreed) and I was with Drew all the way. Of course I am bringing a lot of myself and my own empathy to the character, but, as my brother said, the film had to have 2 instantly likeable actors at its centre and Orlando and Kirsten fit those roles perfectly.

Whereas Etown took a fluid, expressive approach to storytelling (most obviously like a piece of music, of course), A History of Violence was taut and contained, even in its bloodshed. There were no inches of fat on this puppy. So much so that I felt there *could* have been slightly more room to explore the set-up and situation. But certainly this tight, tense direction and scripting perfectly suited the first part of the film, which was especially wonderful. And Viggo played the role in a similarly taut way, which really helped the whole thing to tie together. I have to say that having watched so much David Lynch (for my Masters thesis), the themes of HoV -- dual identities, the violence and sex behind small town normalcy -- aren't exactly new to me and as someone who likes to see the mysterious side of film (the whole 'magic lantern' idea from the late 19th century), I prefer Lynch's handling of the subject matter to Cronenberg's and this somewhat tainted my view of the film. Then again, HoV is more of a thriller whereas films like Blue Velvet, Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive are more of a postmodern film noir. But since these 2 directors' work have so often mirrored each other, I couldn't help comparing. That probably is the student in me, huh? :P

Oh yeah, and Viggo's arse? Whoo boy. ;)

Bottom line? Both these films had flaws but they were both highly enjoyable and perfect roles for Orlando and Viggo respectively. Yay for my boys!