Review of Bellflower (2011) by Jarrett M — 09 Dec 2011

Bellflower is an interesting and a surprisingly moving debut film from Evan Glodell. There are certainly rough patches in terms of acting and writing, as well as some of the story. But the energy and passion of a budding young film maker that is apperent in nearly every frame of this film really goes a long way to smoothing out the rough spots a bit.

One thing that may be offputting to some is the tonal shift that takes pace near the mid point of the film and sends the movie in a different direction than first anticipated. This all leads to an ending that can seem unsatisfying, but I feel that it works well with the tone and style that comes before it.

And style is something that this film has it spades. It is wonderfully imagined and beatifully shot, bringing an almost hyper-realism to the images, but manages to blend in a degree of surrealism as well.

The film is paced on the slow side for what the trailer may lead you to believe, but it managed to hold my interest for the running time and never felt dull or boring. A few head-scratching moments, but none that were boring.

Worth seeing for anyone interested in seeing the beginning of a promising career. And in the event that Evan Glodell never makes another movie, than this is a great first and last film. But I do hope that he continues to make movies, because I certainly look forward to seeing what he does next.

A film that may be too slow or too uniteresting for some, but for those looking for an edgier or more radical approach to film makinng, definately make some time to see this. It won't disappoint you.