Review of Keane (2004) by Heather S — 16 Jul 2005

[color=#666666][font=Tahoma][color=black]Excellent film that microscopically examines the despair and emotional journey of a father who searches endlessly for a kidnapped daughter and clearly suffers from other psychiatric illness.

The film is fine example of filmaking with a low budget that brings to life this side of society we pass every day, yet never, or want to acknowledge. Production values are consistent with the lean approach, but one can gain much from the depth and range in Damian Lewis's performance of a mentally fragile and out of control man who finds it almost impossible to move beyond his obsessive approach of finding his daughter.

It is not until a series of encounters with a single mother and her daughter give him some sense that there can be sanity in his world. The suspense element is subtle but engaging. Serious audiences of independent film will find some production and script flow flaws, but overall, an excellent, compelling venture into a world most of society never experience.

This film is heavy on story, yet is a positive for the film as it allows the audience to form its own opinion of Keane and his life. Has much critical acclaim from highly regarded reviewers such as Manohle Dargis of [u]The New York Times[/u], Roger Ebert of the [u]Chicago Sun Times[/u], [u]The Village Voice's[/u] Dennis Lim and [u]Time Out's[/u] Anthony Kaufman.

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