The film uses real events, including grainy footage, to flesh out the environment of the main characters, but there are also hypnotic, color-saturated views of breaking waves. All the visual elements work together to pull us forward - the tones and textures are rich and absorbing. At the same time, the story moves ahead in a confusion of scary and strange images contrasted with that hard sheen of normalcy associated with the 50's. We come to know the characters slowly and the film is a continual discovery. Many of the images strike a deep chord, though it may not be immediately apparent why. I would like to compare "A Hole in One" to some of Yeats' best poetry. Over time, the pictures and words come washing back and new meanings may take form alongside the first reading. In a similar way, the film is firmly rooted in its time frame, and yet speaks to a contemporary audience on many levels. The actors' performances do the writing full justice.
Review of A Hole in One
