Review of Rust and Bone (2012) by G. Brandon H — 25 Nov 2012

A solid drama that stands out due to terrific performances by the lead actors and the cinematography. Ali, a single father, meets the whale trainer Marie, who shortly after their first encouter has a terrible accident.

From then on it's the story about the physically handicapped woman and the emotionally handicapped man, the unlikely couple. The lead performances are excellent and carry the movie on their shoulders.

There's not much action and the movie is slow at times. This adds to the sentimental feel of the movie that is further accentuated by the cinematography and its pastel colors. However, this is also where the weakness of the movie is.

Due to its slowness, the movie is not always successful at keeping your attention. The "emotional action" is very subtle and is easy to be overlooked unless you're a very perceptive viewer.

So there's is a chance you feel slighly let down, under-whelmed and maybe even bored. The movie is not going to be appreciated by the average Hollywood-affected movie goer.