A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Elizabethtown

Date Viewed: 10/23/05

Details:

Orlando Bloom

Kirsten Dunst

Susan Sarandon

Alec Baldwin

Judy Greer

Jessica Biel

Written and directed by: Cameron Crowe

Score: +

The Review: An odd combination of feel-good, down-home visitation nostalgia, unexpected death in the family, road trip, cute-meet -- just your typical small-town boy who fails quite publicly to the tune of about a billion dollars, in an atypical sort-of romantic sometimes-comedy. But pretty good, for all that its mood bounced all over the emotional map.

As the lead creative designer for a new sports shoe from a major manufacturer, Drew Baylor (Bloom) discovers that the world is not ready for his ideas. On the same day, he finds out his father has died, and he must visit his home of Elizabethtown, Kentucky to wrap things up. The flight attendant on the trip down (Dunst) is quirky, intrusive, attractive, and funny. And things go both up and down from there.

If Bloom is the stolid anchor around which the plot revolves (and he's pretty good), Dunst provides a critically vital, almost manic counteracting spindizzy -- without her take on Claire, this movie would rapidly sink into pathos. Her attitude is infectious, compelling and healing -- Drew's right; Ben's an idiot.

Great music and score, and some hilarious scenes. Excellent turn by Sarandon as the widow Baylor.

(23-Oct-05)

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