Review of Choking Man (2006) by Mike M — 02 Oct 2008
A small turning point, rather than any grand statement of renewed directorial intent - we're not quite in the same authentic territory as, say, Ramin Bahrani ("Man Push Cart", "Chop Shop") - but it works out well for Barron: you sense him revelling in DV's graininess, and not having to worry about applying any Hallmark Channel gloss for once allows him to gather his small but complementary ensemble around him; he gets effective contributions from Gomez Berrios, all touching reticence, and from the adorably forthcoming Yuan.
.. There are niggles: some animated inserts jar, the precise status of Jorge's bullying flatmate remains unclear, and a humourless German character feels like a residual stereotype from Barron's earlier career.
But the whole speaks of a fresh new direction, well worth pursuing: the last time anyone attempted a career reboot in this vein, it was former Disney animator James Mangold with the lovelorn diner romance "Heavy" - and he went on to make "Walk the Line" and "3:10 to Yuma".
This review of Choking Man (2006) was written by Mike M on 02 Oct 2008.
Choking Man has generally received positive reviews.
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