Review of North (2014) by Jacob F — 20 Sep 2012

As awful as this film is, I have to give credit to the cinematographer for delivering some decent compositions and expressing a quirky feel. Aside from that, North undeniably represents the low point of Rob Reiner's career. This is because it is one of the most insufferable experiences in cinema. As such, the film contained countless offensive and even racially insensitive stereotypes that are not just horribly portrayed but aren't the least bit amusing. Speaking of unfunny, the film was riddled with clunky jokes and dialogue that are insulting to the audience's intelligence. The overall story was lacking in believability that it's extremely difficult to be engaging. I know that there are many films that take place in worlds that defy reality. However, for it to work, the actors and filmmakers must treat the story with respect. That was not the case in this film for the actors treated it as if they knew the film would fail. I have a great deal of respect for the director Rob Reiner who has directed many great films including comedy classics. Perhaps he had the rotten luck having to direct a film based on a poorly written script. If that is the case, he could have picked a script that is more worthwhile in adapting. Also, I know for a fact that writing a script is a challenging task, but I feel that they could have put more honest effort into the story and jokes. Besides the flaws mentioned, the whole story is generic and downright cruel.

The film follows young prodigy named North (Elijah Wood, who maneuvers through the travesty like a champ) who is loved by all but is apparently ignored by his parents. Therefore, he decides to divorce them and go on a worldwide adventure to find a new set of parents. From then on, it is endless stupidity and annoyances. Along his journey, he comes across a mysterious man who takes on multiple appearances acting as his guardian angel (Bruce Willis). He appears as an Easter Bunny, ranch hand, beach comber, a sleigh driver, a stand-up comedian, and a FedEx truck driver. After a while, his appearances grow progressively aggravating. Meanwhile, there is a fellow classmate of North's named Winchell (Matthew McCurley) and a lawyer named Arthur Belt (Jon Lovitz in probably his worst performance) who are using North's quest to their advantage by putting forth an act to convince kids to divorce their parents. The character of Winchell, while appropriately creepy, is impossible to take seriously. This is mainly because he is too young to be that powerful.

In short, the film is an utter mess. Even with an acclaimed director and a talented ensemble, the film ultimately collapses due to its frustrating story, confused and problematic message, and characters that are migraine-inducing to watch. It is very clear why the film sparked one of Pulitzer Prize winning critic Roger Ebert's most notorious reviews.