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2011, 09-26:
Review of film: “RESTLESS”
This 91-minute PG-13 film was directed by GUS VAN SANT...
... He’s directed movies I felt were excellent, such as “MILK” in 2008 (mini reviewed at http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-of-film-milk-of-human-kindness.html ) & "GOOD WILL HUNTING” in 1997; and, he’s also done ones I found horrible (such as “PARANOID PARK” in 2007)...
... I was interested in how THIS film would stack-up with the PREVIOUS ones...
... As the film starts, we see a young man, Enoch Brea (played by HENRY HOPPER, a son of the late actor Dennis) talking to a guy named Hiroshi Takahashi (RIO KASE) who’s wearing an outfit of a World War II Japanese “KAMIKAZI” pilot...
... In time, we see them playing a “strategy” GAME with each other (& Rio is always seen in the SAME pilot’s outfit)...
... Not long after our “introduction” to these major characters, we see Henry attending a service in a funeral home...
... We soon realize that he NEVER KNEW the person who’d died-- it was almost a “random” attendance... And, he soon attends another funeral under the SAME “circumstances”...
... At one point, he makes “contact” with a young girl named Annabel Cotton (MIA WASIKOWSKA) at the service. She makes clear she knows he makes a HABIT out of attending such events of strangers... He’s uncomfortable at being “found-out”...
... Henry & Mia chance to meet AFTER that... She says she’s often at a local hospital with children suffering from CANCER...
... After a bunch of “awkward” words on purposely-reticent Henry’s part, Mia eventually makes clear she’s a PATIENT at the hospital, seemingly having only some MONTHS left to live...
... In a sort of step-by-step fashion, we learn an increasing number of FACTS about Henry & Mia...
... Mia is comparatively OUTGOING & “POSITIVE” in her attitude, unlike Henry...
... In time, we learn he is “preoccupied” with funerals because both his PARENTS had recently DIED in an accident (which also badly injured HIM), & he’s had no real “CLOSURE” about what had happened...
... Oh, and, by the way-- Henry’s associate Rio is actually a GHOST of a young man who’d died in WWII...
... Henry is being taken care of in his parents’ large home by an aunt Mabel (JANE ADAMS), who he doesn’t listen to & who’s WORRIED about him & his actions (& lack & friends & all)...
... Henry hesitantly starts to “accept” the friendship of MIA, who seems to “understand” him in part & CARE for him...
... But, Mia’s older sister Elizabeth (SCHUYLER FISK) & mother Rachel (LUSIA STRUS) are NOT at all “thrilled” to have strange HENRY around their beloved Mia...
... In a sort of “leisurely” way, Henry & Mia start to “INTERACT” more & more, going off together on “outings” (such as Trick-or-Treating), etc...
... Will Henry & Mia have any ROMANTIC stirrings?...
... Will Henry start to ACCEPT Mia’s condition & what had happened in his OWN life?...
... What will HAPPEN to Mia & Henry individually & “together”?...
... This is a periodically “STRANGE” kind of movie, although in a “PLACID” way in that both Henry & Mia are fairly “mild-mannered” & not usually “stormy” in their actions...
... There are elements of real SWEETNESS in the midst of all the situational “oddness”, by Mia, Henry and even Rio & some of the “side” characters...
... Because of the emotional “difficulties” inherent in the plot situation, the movie is somewhat hard to really “ENJOY”-- but the acting by the major characters is WELL-done & INTRIGUING on certain levels in this unusual “LOVE-ish” story...
... In other words, I found this latest van Sant offering sort of in the “MIDDLE” quality-wise re his feature films... Accordingly, I’m rating it at 6.75 out of 10 stars...
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