"Far from Home" is mostly noteworthy for its casting of 13-going-on-14 years old Drew Barrymore in her first adolescent role. Drew plays Joleen Cox, a girl on vacation with her father Charlie (Matt Frewer), a journalist. Running out of gas in a remote part of Nevada, they're forced to take temporary lodgings in a trailer park. Here they meet the local residents, chief among them two boys who take an interest in Joleen. Andras Jones ("A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master") is the punkish Jimmy Reed, son of landlord Agnes Reed (the legendary Susan Tyrrell). Anthony Rapp ("Adventures in Babysitting") is the more sensitive, well meaning Pinky Sears. Unfortunately, one of them just might be psychotic enough to kill people.
The script by Tommy Lee Wallace (longtime John Carpenter associate who directed "Halloween III: Season of the Witch") is much too routine, and very predictable. Viewers may also feel uncomfortable with the cameras' ogling of Drew at any and every opportunity. However, while the story may be too trite to work all that well, director Meiert Avis takes full advantage of the rural settings. He and his capable crew, including cinematographer Paul Elliott and production designer Victoria Paul, milk these settings for as much atmosphere as possible. So "Far from Home" is at least successful enough on a visual level. It might disappoint people expecting more of a slasher film and a higher body count, but it does get fairly gory on occasion.
One good thing is that these filmmakers do make some nice casting choices. Drew does alright in the central role, possessing a natural likability and vulnerability, as well as the expected resentment towards her paternal figure, well played by Frewer. He's good as the kind of father that means well but can still be seen as annoying. Richard Masur is wonderful as Duckett, a latter-day hippie kind of character. Jennifer Tilly is decent and as sexy as ever as Amy, who for whatever reason shares a trailer with another local, Louise (lovely Karen Austin). Jones and Rapp are both good. Tyrrell is a real force of nature during her time on screen. The always welcome Dick Miller plays the Sheriff, and John Spencer can be glimpsed on a TV monitor.
An adequate B movie at best, watchable but also forgettable.
Five out of 10.
The script by Tommy Lee Wallace (longtime John Carpenter associate who directed "Halloween III: Season of the Witch") is much too routine, and very predictable. Viewers may also feel uncomfortable with the cameras' ogling of Drew at any and every opportunity. However, while the story may be too trite to work all that well, director Meiert Avis takes full advantage of the rural settings. He and his capable crew, including cinematographer Paul Elliott and production designer Victoria Paul, milk these settings for as much atmosphere as possible. So "Far from Home" is at least successful enough on a visual level. It might disappoint people expecting more of a slasher film and a higher body count, but it does get fairly gory on occasion.
One good thing is that these filmmakers do make some nice casting choices. Drew does alright in the central role, possessing a natural likability and vulnerability, as well as the expected resentment towards her paternal figure, well played by Frewer. He's good as the kind of father that means well but can still be seen as annoying. Richard Masur is wonderful as Duckett, a latter-day hippie kind of character. Jennifer Tilly is decent and as sexy as ever as Amy, who for whatever reason shares a trailer with another local, Louise (lovely Karen Austin). Jones and Rapp are both good. Tyrrell is a real force of nature during her time on screen. The always welcome Dick Miller plays the Sheriff, and John Spencer can be glimpsed on a TV monitor.
An adequate B movie at best, watchable but also forgettable.
Five out of 10.