How many times can William Hurt play the depressed ineffectual guy? I loved him in Body Heat and Eyewitness, but these depressed roles are getting old. I don't think he was the right guy for this role. I wasn't buying him as white trash, but I think he did a decent job regardless.
I am not a big fan of non-Southern actors trying to fake an accent. Kristen Stewart is supposed to be a local and Hurt is supposed to be from somewhere maybe a bit north of Louisianna, but still in that region I believe. Stewart had to fake and Hurt just put on a very slight accent.
These people are losers and outsiders, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The best thing about this movie was the actor playing the boy. I am also not a fan of Brits playing Americans, but he did it well. The fact that I've never seen him made it real for me. I kept picturing the other two in their more famous roles.
Maybe it's better to have unknowns in small movies.
The reason I stuck with this long,boring film is because I am fascinated by the steaming green foliage and atmosphere of Louisianna. The photography was terrific.
I didn't really care about any of these people and there was very little character development/background for the Stewart character, but there is one part where she explains that she embarked on this journey because she wanted to feel cared about.
The boy character was an original. I really liked him. He reminded me of the Crispin Glover type from the 80's. He was complex and sensitive and real.
Maria Bello is a sexy mature woman. She is actually 17 years younger than Willaim Hurt, but I guess that happens in real life, when both people are past 40. Maybe it would have been more realistic to have this paunchy, pasty bald 58-year-old guy be involved with someone closer to his age. What did the Bello and Stewart characters see in him? Maybe they wanted to take care of him. He had that puppy dog helplessness behind his tough facade.
If you don't like character studies and Americana road trips, stay away from this sleeper. But if you have the patience to feel what quirky characters feel, and you appreciate the subtle nuances of the American landscape, give it a chance.
I am not a big fan of non-Southern actors trying to fake an accent. Kristen Stewart is supposed to be a local and Hurt is supposed to be from somewhere maybe a bit north of Louisianna, but still in that region I believe. Stewart had to fake and Hurt just put on a very slight accent.
These people are losers and outsiders, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The best thing about this movie was the actor playing the boy. I am also not a fan of Brits playing Americans, but he did it well. The fact that I've never seen him made it real for me. I kept picturing the other two in their more famous roles.
Maybe it's better to have unknowns in small movies.
The reason I stuck with this long,boring film is because I am fascinated by the steaming green foliage and atmosphere of Louisianna. The photography was terrific.
I didn't really care about any of these people and there was very little character development/background for the Stewart character, but there is one part where she explains that she embarked on this journey because she wanted to feel cared about.
The boy character was an original. I really liked him. He reminded me of the Crispin Glover type from the 80's. He was complex and sensitive and real.
Maria Bello is a sexy mature woman. She is actually 17 years younger than Willaim Hurt, but I guess that happens in real life, when both people are past 40. Maybe it would have been more realistic to have this paunchy, pasty bald 58-year-old guy be involved with someone closer to his age. What did the Bello and Stewart characters see in him? Maybe they wanted to take care of him. He had that puppy dog helplessness behind his tough facade.
If you don't like character studies and Americana road trips, stay away from this sleeper. But if you have the patience to feel what quirky characters feel, and you appreciate the subtle nuances of the American landscape, give it a chance.