Review of Palo Alto (2014) by Giovanni M — 12 Sep 2014

The teenagers in "Palo Alto" look like the kinds of teenagers that grace the cover of an Urban Outfitters catalogue, appearing to be rebellious but still oozing that sort of aimless cool that few can muster. The atmosphere around them, bolted corner to corner with suburban homes and sunless skies, emphasizes their boredom with life. "Palo Alto" is scattered like its characters are, and while it may not be the sort of potent film it could/wants to be, it feels like a stepping stone for much of the talent involved.

Director Gia Coppola possesses just as much talent as her aunt Sofia, and Jack Kilmer is destined to become an indie star with his greasy hair and ability to make even the most mundane of situations watchable.

Based on James Franco's 2010 novel of short stories of the same name, the film follows a period in the lives of four youths: April (Emma Roberts), a quiet goody-two-shoes whose rep leads her to begin an affair with a teacher (James Franco); Teddy (Kilmer), a consistent screw-up who is feeling the effects of his second arrest; Fred (Nat Wolff), a perennial asshole who feels the need to add danger to nearly every situation; and Emily (Zoe Levin), who throws herself at a bevy of guys but regrets it later on.

If these characters' traits don't sound very interesting, then that means that I've succeeded in my descriptions. "Palo Alto" isn't an exciting film - it strolls along like an Antonioni piece. But that isn't an insult. Antonioni films were so extraordinary because he could make his characters' meditations and tendencies fascinating, no matter how uneventful.

"Palo Alto" isn't as masterful; after all, I said it was like an Antonioni piece, not as good as one. It nails the no-life-goals attitude of its characters but has a hard time digging into their psyches, finding meat in a world of complete vegetation. But it somehow remains watchable; the cinematography is lush and dreamy, the performances are terrific.

Coppola is better than the source material at use - she has a distinct eye for detail, seamlessly balancing drifts and moments of tightness, capturing the mood of the people she focuses on with a clear-eye.

The young people she surrounds herself with have a raw talent that promises even more: Roberts is fantastic, ridding herself of her past over-the-top roles (most notably as witch-bitch Madison Montgomery in "American Horror Story: Coven") with something so understated that her poor judgement feels necessary in a life so bland. Wolff, who has a past as a child actor on an awful Nickelodeon sitcom, has already ridden himself of his upbringing - in "The Fault in Our Stars", he made his small-role memorable in its longing; but in "Palo Alto", he is edgy, almost frightening, to a startling point.

But the biggest revelation is Jack Kilmer, son of Val (who makes a cameo in the film). While Val Kilmer made a career of high-profile, movie star roles, Jack Kilmer has a natural charisma that makes you drawn to him almost immediately. In his first acting role, he plays a character who should be unlikable: he vandalizes property, gives into peer pressure with the hesitation of Anna Nicole Smith, and gets into hit-and-runs, him doing the hitting and the running. But Kilmer's soft-spoken and subtle characterization makes him an instant star - he has a Jack Kerouac-ian Beatnik way about him that is rarely seen in films today.

"Palo Alto" doesn't pack a whole lot of punch, but it unleashes a fury of new talent that is too good to be ignored. It made less than $1 million at the box-office, but money can't buy stardom. With more films like this one, Coppola could become a household name in a matter of no-time, and Kilmer could become an indie sensation. Let's hope they keep in-touch with their earthy roots.