Review of This Must Be the Place (2011) by Ana B — 14 Feb 2014

Melodrama with touches of detective novel and road movie, it tells us the story of Cheyenne, a 50 year old goth that used to be the leader of a rock band but that has fallen into disgrace after two fans took their own lives after listening to his songs. Days go by slowly in a tedious routine with his wife in his huge half empty mansion in Ireland until he learns that his estranged father has died in USA. Travelling over there he finds out that his father was in a Nazi camp during the II World War and that the official in charge of it is still around living somewhere in rural America. For some reason Cheyenne decides to look for this Nazi criminal; he then starts this journey through the roads of the heartland of US.

The movie required a strong lead character and Sean Penn certainly fits the bill though I feel he over acts. Or maybe is that some of the features of Cheyenne are a little cartoon like, the big hair, the little voice, the clickety-clack luggage, the excessively shy personality... It would have had more impact if the main character was a regular Joe trying to pay the mortgage. Cheyenne gives a touch of comedy to a dramatic story of self discovery, but it could have totally worked without it. It didn't need the comedy at all, it detracts from the solid and meaningful plot. Plus there are too many issues for Cheyenne apart of the broken relationship with his father, issues that are left unanswered: his guilt over the death of the two youngsters, his shyness, his lack of children, his very particular relationship with his health obsessed wife... In return there are cool scenes embedded of philosophical meaning which I really appreciate.