Four generations of men who haven't seen each other in years are suddenly brought together by the chance to uncover the truth about their family's past. It's a journey that takes them out on the road to a world full of surprises - some comic, some dramatic, and all of them personal. [TRAILER]

STEVEN SNYDER'S REVIEW

It seems bizarre to me that the makers of “Around the Bend” would become impatient with their own material.

Here’s a movie that is clearly about a family, four generations of males to be exact, and a journey of healing that is orchestrated by the eldest to bring together the youngest. Yet almost every moment of this subtle and simple story is destroyed by a production that seems terrified we’ll get bored.

Made with seemingly the same mentality of a blockbuster that rushes through the human moments to get to the big plot payoffs, director Jordan Roberts has stripped this film of its soul in favor of emotional cues and filmic tricks that he seems to think will get the job done more efficiently.

These devices are evident very early on. As great-grandfather Henry (Michael Caine) lies in bed, elderly and fading quickly, an introductory scene that could have been read multiple ways is instantly interpreted for us by a light-hearted score featuring the clarinet – the instrument of comedies.

And repeatedly, scenes that could be viewed multiple ways, that could speak to different people in the audience in different shades of emotions or tones, are simplified by either the musical score, the camera’s identification with a character or, even more disastrously, a character who tells us how to interpret events as they unfold.

I would typically blame a director for misinterpreting the material. But in this instance, Roberts both wrote and directed the movie, which either means the studio intruded and watered down the story, or Roberts simply shouldn’t have been translating his own words to the screen.

It’s a shame, too, because there is great potential here.

The film’s successes start with Caine. As Henry, he has both the aged wisdom and the quirky eccentricities that will make the film’s stranger later moments work. Passing on, he leaves a will for his estranged son Turner (Christopher Walken), who has had trouble with the law and has just returned home after years on the road, his grandson Jason (Josh Lucas), who has cared for him all these years, and his great-grandson Zach (Jonah Bobo), who is far too often relegated to the stereotypical cute kid.

The acting is generally quite strong, particularly in regards to Walken who proves again here why he is one of the most fascinating actors working today. His awkward delivery and presence is perfect because he never seems to be acting. His mannerisms and intricacies make his characters wholly original, and I realized while watching “Around the Bend” that I never doubt his characters because they are so unique and peculiar that they must be the real deal.

But later on, even Walken gets consumed by the film’s style. In a series of third-act confrontations, side characters are introduced for no other reason than to incite reactions from our core trio, and the anxious words and emotions of Turner, Jason and Zach increasingly start to feel forced and insincere.

The problems here are really intangible. In movies like this, viewers either connect or they don’t, and the reasoning behind that connection is often quite personal.

In my case, I was drawn in by the difficulties the three older men face in being sincere with each other. I come from a family of reserved men and can relate to the awkwardness of a family that desires greatly to share their thoughts, but thinks twice before doing so.

However, Henry, Turner and Jason overcome that initial stumbling block internally and naturally. They find ways to slowly start talking and create a middle ground where estranged father and son can coexist.

It is later on when these internal motivations evaporate, and the hand of the “creator” starts to manipulate these characters, their story and our emotions from beyond this movie world.

What I once cared about I now felt alienated from, as if I was being told what to think rather than encouraged to simply watch and feel.

MOVIE WEB PAGE

IMDB WEB PAGE

MOVIE REVIEW QUERY ENGINE

Showtimes

Movies @ Zertinet | Oscars @ Zertinet | Main Site
IMDB | Moviefone | Movie Review Query Engine
Contact Us | Subscribe | Unsubscribe

Best Viewed at 800 X 600 or greater
Design by David Johnson