Review of 11:14 (2004) by Alex P — 18 Aug 2007

A clever twist on the "intersecting random plots" genre. Each story is compelling, and the payoff is unpredictable. All the characters are interesting and the roles are played well. Greg Marcks is a talented young filmmaker, and one to watch in the future.

Some specific kudos go to Hillary Swank, playing decidedly non-glamorous as Buzzy, a part that was originally written for a man. She's awkward and ungainly, complete with adult braces.

But Ben Foster steals the show yet again, playing Eddie, an unfortunate young man who loses his "little Eddie" in a tragic peeing-out-the-window-of-a-moving-car accident. None of the characters are given a lot of development, especially the three youths in Foster's subplot, but in about 30 seconds, thanks to Foster's line readings and facial expressions, we know exactly who this kid is. Or at least we think we do, until the pressure of all pressures is applied.

We get to see more of him as he intersects with other characters, and he is riveting. He shows so much range. As volatile, psychotic and wild-eyed as he is in "Alpha Dog", that's how doughy and wounded and insecure he is here. He's just a fantastic actor, and in performances as small as this one (about 15 or 20 minutes of screen time), he brings the whole picture up a notch.