Review of Old Joy (2006) by Alex S — 17 Mar 2008

So Sundance it's comical.

Look, I understand minimalism, and I support minimalism, but your movie HAS to have something pushing it besides a wisp of a plot. You gotta have at least a LITTLE characterization. The back of the box said that this was in the vein of Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces. Well, maybe, in a sense, yea, but mostly no, not at all. Those two movies were classics because you felt for the characters, they had at least something driving it along. If you took out all the scenes staring at the forest and the urban landscapes this film couldn't even be classified a feature film. I understand what they're trying to do with this, the whole city-and-forest-are-becoming-one thing, but that doesn't mean you have to give us thirty minutes or more of footage staring at the fucking forest or staring at the fucking city. I GET IT!!! Yes, some of the forest stuff was pretty, therefore acceptable. Some of it. But enough is enough.

Some describe this film as meditative, hypnotic, and it is. When they finally get to the cabin, after Kelly films the ENTIRE journey through the window, it really feels peaceful. The whole thing in the cabin was nice. Go all out with minimalism there. It works when you have good actors and a meditative surrounding. I did really feel it there, and the dream was pretty intense.

But then they (spoilers?) for some reason leave that same day. Perhaps because of the 'gay' massage? And that night Oldham buys some marijuana or something. End of movie.

Basically just too much footage without enough there. More meditative silence and captivating dialogue at the cabin and less shots aiming at the side of the road.

It seemed that the story this film was based on wasn't strong enough to support a feature film. A long short film could have been gorgeous and brilliant.