meeza Review of The Guitar

The Guitar (2008)

Why haven't more directors borrowed Burrows for their movies! She is a find!

[8/10 · 5 September 2009]

Even though it is not the feel & sound good movie of the year, "The Guitar" rocks! Saffron Burrows mesmerizing performance is all the string it needs for this movie to be helmed a success. Burrows stars as Melody Wilder, a grieving New York woman who is told she has terminal throat cancer by her pessimistic doctor. Unfortunately, Melody's life tunes continue to be somber when she is downsized by her employer, and downsized by her boyfriend. Melody is about to take the suicidal route until she sees an ad for a short-term rental for a NY loft apartment. She then decides to hibernate during her last days of existence in the loft while charging all her credit cards to the max on food, furniture, and eventually The Guitar. Melody since childhood has been yearning to own & learn to play the guitar, but had never amplified (whatever that means) herself to do so until now. In the loft, Melody self teaches herself to play the guitar and all its melodies. Situations turn a bit more sexually wilder for Ms. Wilder when she beds a black furniture mover employee and a pizza delivery girl during her loft stay. I will not reveal more of "The Guitar" because it will spoil some dead or not-so-dead issues which the film's plot line reveals. "The Guitar" had a sundance twist to it as it was helmed by novice Director Amy Redford, daughter of Robert. Ms. Redford's impressive debut is worth a Sundance Festival salute. Amos Poe's semi-implicit screenplay worked brilliantly; it's "quality" not "quantity" wording approach was "poewerful". But it was Burrows' stunning acting was what I thought jammed the most about "The Guitar". Her facial expressions and nonverbal cues spoke volumes on stellar acting. Her commendable characterizations will not succumb to acting death any time soon. Remind me, why wasn't she nominated for acting awards last year? "The Guitar" is slow moving and its not an easy plot sell, but do not pass on playing this Guitar notably for Burrows' resounding acting! **** Good