With only 33 ratings so far, this film has an 8.7 rating. I fully expect that number to plummet as more people see this film. It starts out fine, with Duchovny delivering surprisingly well in his role as a backwoods survivalist with a big heart. But once the main catalyst of the plot happens, the focus turns to young Adam, and that's where things fall off the cliff. I'm sure the actor is a fine young man, and his good looks will appeal to many, but his performance is absolutely flat. While several of the shots are quite beautiful, the overall direction and cinematography are very heavy handed, like completing the workbook assignments out of a Film101 class. The music is grating at times, the editing harsh, the dialog very stiff. The plot itself is just a series of vignettes with no connecting thread - nothing that Adam experiences or learns affects anything that comes later. I thought the heavy-handed "father figure" montage was the about as bad as this film could get, but then came the incredibly ridiculous seminar scene. The icing on the cake is one of the most excruciating camera shots I've ever sat through: a solid 2+ minutes s-l-o-w-l-y p-a-n-n-i-n-g across a diner full of people who are doing absolutely nothing but staring at a character who is off screen for 95% of the time. And finally, the big reveal at the end was telegraphed within the first five minutes of the movie, so there was no emotional payoff.
I can appreciate what the writer/director was going for, but what he's delivered falls far, far short of the mark. Skip this one.
I can appreciate what the writer/director was going for, but what he's delivered falls far, far short of the mark. Skip this one.