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dan-fuchs
Reviews
Around June (2008)
James Savoca's "Around June" Gives a Rare Insight into the Human Heart
My favorite films share a certain quality -- a sense of quirky community, with stories driven by the needs of the characters. "My LIfe as a Dog" and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" by Lasse Halstrom come to mind, as does Bill Forsythe's beautiful "Local Hero." Savoca takes this type of character-driven story into the realm of magical realism, through the use of beautiful cinematography and just the right amount of whimsical animated sequences, occurring at just the right moments.
As in all of his films, the characters in "Around June" are living on the margins of society. Each one, brilliantly acted, has his or her own need -- to love and be loved, to be understood, to live life fully.
If you are looking for guns and explosions, this is NOT the film for you. However, if you are interested in a beautifully shot and moving insight into the human heart, "Around June" will leave you feeling refreshed, with your eyes open to the possibility of magic that is around, and within, us all.