Review of American Pastoral (2016) by Patrick L — 15 Jun 2017

"It is an impassioned project from first-time director Ewan McGregor but "American Pastoral" lacks the nuance and depth from Philip Roth's Pulitzer-Prize winning novel".

DVD Movie Review: American Pastoral.

Date Viewed: February 22 2017.

Directed By Ewan McGregor.

Screenplay By John Romano, Based on the novel by Philip Roth.

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning, Valorie Curry, Rupert Evans, Uzo Aduba, David Strathairn, Peter Riegert, Molly Parker and Samantha Mathis.

"American Pastoral" is an impassioned project from first-time director Ewan McGregor but it lacks the nuance and depth from its original source material. Based on the acclaimed 1997 novel from Philip Roth, "American Pastoral" was masterful in telling a Greek tragedy but as a movie, actor and director McGregor fails to do Roth any justice. The actors are highly committed to their roles, I would give the movie that but screenwriter John Romano doesn't capture the essence and complexity in the story he's trying to tell.

Set in the late 60s and early 70s during the social and political turmoil over the Vietnam war, McGregor plays Seymour "Swede" Levov, a man who had it all but eventually his life starts to crumble before his very eyes. Swede is a former high school star athlete and a successful Jewish businessman who owns his father's (Peter Riegert) glove factory. He's also married to Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), a former beauty queen and they have a highly troubled daughter named Merry (Dakota Fanning).

Not only does Merry have a stuttering problem, she's also against the government at all fronts, she frequently goes to New York to protest against the war and she hates her mother. Swede fears for her daughter's safety and he hopes that she can channel her protest and anger in a more meaningful way. A few days later, both the post office and a gas station get blown up and Merry mysteriously disappears. Fearing that she may have been recruited by a radical cell and possibly responsible for the two bomb blasts, Swede desperately searches for his daughter and his trail leads him to Wharton School student, Rita Cohen (Valorie Curry).

Rita tips Swede to meet in a hotel room in order to know about Merry's whereabouts. When they do meet in the hotel room, Rita attempts to seduce him but it doesn't work as he runs away. Meanwhile, Swede's wife experiences a mental breakdown and she briefly gets send into a mental hospital. The entire film is set in flashback mode and "American Pastoral's" present subplot revolves around a former classmate of Swede's brother, he's an author named Nathan Zuckerman (David Strathairn). He's the only interesting element in the story but unfortunately Strathairn has little screen time.

Ewan McGregor has a tragic and meaningful story in his forth-front but what is the movie trying to say? Just like with previous adult adaptations, first-time director McGregor never stays true to Philip Roth's novel which hurts the movie pretty badly and also reveals his inexperience behind the camera. The solid acting is what this movie is going for but it isn't enough.

Is McGregor a bad director? I don't think so. He just needs more experience behind the camera that's all. All around, "American Pastoral" stands as a well-intentioned mess.