Review of Elizabethtown (2005) by Jerry C — 23 Feb 2010

A weird, yet charmingly well made film that's unlike any romantic comedy I've ever seen, if it can even be called that. But that's to be expected from Cameron Crowe. The guy is a born filmmaker, maybe not so much a screenwriter, but he knows how to handle a camera and direct an actor.

I can see why this film was so widely panned when it first came out, but the criticism was unjustified. Compared to most crappy, formulaic romantic comedies that are released, this one is not only better made, but unpredictable, entertaining, and very funny at times. Granted it doesn't all work, but most of it does in its own weird, wacky way.

This isn't supposed to be a realistic look at a budding relationship; much like Jerry Maguire, it works at a heightened level. Everything is exaggerated, for better and worse. The characters are all over the top, the situations are all really absurd, but so what? It's a fun film. And the classic rock music throughout is great.

There a few things that didn't work, though. One of the biggest, and this is obvious from the get go, is Orland Bloom. Terrible casting choice. Not only can the guy not act, but he does a terrible American accent. If this film had been made 10-15 year ago, I bet you Tom Cruise would have gotten the role and really turned it into something great. To Bloom's credit, he does try, and there are some moments where he manages to be convincing. But they're very few and far between.

Luckily, his terribleness is balanced by Kirsten Dunst, who gives her best performance since "Interview with the Vampire." That's right. She's great in this. Really shines. Though her initial Southern accent vanishes as the film goes on for some reason. But she's really fun to watch, charming and cute. It's a great role. Susan Sarandon is also pretty good, especially during a scene near the end that's basically just her alone talking for 10 minutes. It's a monologue of sorts, and is very well written and performed, and nothing like I had ever seen in a romantic film before, or a comedy for that matter.

Another issue I had with the film is the editing. It's choppy and distracting, and often confuses rather than clarifies what's going on at any given moment. This is especially evident during the "phone call" scenes where the film keeps cutting back and forth between two actors for long periods of time. It gets old fast. I get why it was done, but they go on for way too long, and there's several of them throughout the film. This whole film could have actually used a good 20-30 minutes cut from it, and the stupid phone call scenes should have been the ones to go.

Other than those issues, the film was pretty solid, interesting, and well done. There's a scene involving a paper bird bursting into flames that was hilarious, and very well crafted. The whole beginning was surprisingly dark for what ends up being a relatively light comical film, but it works in drawing you in by introducing you to the character and the large-than-life world he inhabits. I also liked the "shift" at the end with the road trip and the music; it was charming and well put together.

Overall, a good film, not what you'd expect. Orlando Bloom is terrible in it, but luckily, he, a lot like Ben Affleck in "Jersey Girl," doesn't affect the overall quality of the film too much. Worth watching if you're in the mood for something different.