Monday, April 5, 2010

"Your whole life is in your face...and I love that face."


The Yellow Handkerchief. Have you heard of it? I give you two points and a high five if you have. It's an indie movie that was filmed back in 2008 and thanks to Samuel Goldwyn Films, it's finally found its way to movie theaters. I had to drive into Atlanta to a little four-screen theater that shows indie films to be able to see it, but at this point you probably know I'd travel to the ends of the earth to see a Kristen Stewart movie :)

I'm not going to lie about it though, I was a little nervous about this one. Mainly because I didn't want my friends to pay $11 and hate it. So needless to say, I was thrilled when the movie was over and Alison turned to me and said, "I liked that." Very thrilled. And I loved the movie. Everything about it.

I had read several reviews that said the beginning was slow, but that towards the middle, the story pulls you in and it sets into a rhythm. I actually felt like the whole thing moved at a pretty good pace. I was never bored. The only time I felt a little rushed was in the beginning. I feel like getting these three strangers Martine (Kristen Stewart), Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), and Brett (William Hurt) into the car together was a bit forced.

Willam Hurt is absolutely brilliant. Really in everything he does, but I especially loved him in this movie. The character he plays has just been released from prison when he meets these two teenage strangers. And everything he does, everything he says, everything that they go through together, he seems so unaffected by it all. But when he smiles, that smile bleeds across the screen. It's contagious really. In the beginning he has a few things to teach his two new teenage companions, but in the end, it turns out that they actually have a few things to teach him in return.

Now Eddie Redmayne's character Gordy is quite the character. He might annoy the crap out of you. He might confuse you. He might have you wondering if he's autistic or has some kind of mental disability, but one thing's for sure, he will make you laugh like you've never laughed before. He's hilarious. I loved Gordy so much. And to see his character broken down and show his true self, was an awesome thing in the end. And really, in the end, you find out he has a quite profound way of thought.

While Maria Bello's character, May, might have been a small one, it was crucial to the story. And she was at the top of her game once again. Really loved her and all that the brought to the story.

And Kristen Stewart. She, once again, doesn't disappoint. A good southern accent is hard to do, but I thought she did a great job with it. And I don't know what it was about this character, but it was unlike any other character she's ever played. While she's playing another broken teenage girl, there's something about Martine that's light and airy and Kristen brought that out very well. I can't quite put my finger on it. But it might be my new favorite of hers. I need to see it again.

And the cinematography is gorgeous! It was filmed in post-Katrina Louisiana and it was absolutely stunning. Another thing I loved about the filming was the use of yellow in nearly every shot. If there wasn't a yellow object in the shot, the lighting had a yellow tint. And sometimes there were both. I loved it. You know I did. And the ending with all the yellow handkerchiefs has inspired my photography final.

In the end, this is a great movie about love, loss, and second chances.

If you get the opportunity, take someone you love and go check it out.

6 comments:

  1. Dragged my husband with me to the theatre and was SO nervous he wouldn't like it. But he did! Was a good story.

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  2. yay! you get two points and a high five!!

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  3. I know you did Alison. I know you did ;)

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  4. YAY! i get two points AND a high five :)

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