For Ellen (2012)

That was an excellent one.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Some movies are for fun. Some movies are for adventure. Some movies are art and are actually a "film" For Ellen is art. Yes it is slow, yes it has few words and little action. This film is about emotions that do not need laughs and action to be nurtured. Dano is approaching Oscar level acting at a very young age. I can't wait to see his skills grow and deepen. This movie is sad because that is what the characters are feeling! It is powerful and emotional and really well made. I don't have much else to say except that a lot of movie goers expect to be surprised with original twist and plot turns, but are not impressed with deliberate quality. This film is deliberate and delivers quality.

Korean screenwriter, film editor, producer and director So Yong Kim's third feature film which she wrote and co-produced, premiered in the U.S. Dramatic section at the 28th Sundance Film Festival in 2012, was screened in the Forum section at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in 2012, was shot on location in USA and Canada and is a USA production which was produced by producers Jen Gatien and Bradley Rust Gray. It tells the story about a man named Joby Taylor who is a musician in a band called Snake Trouble and who after having travelled around for some time stops at a place where his attorney named Fred Butler is awaiting him and his wife named Claire lives. Claire has filed for divorce and is asking Joby to sign the divorce papers so that they won't have to take the case to court, but when Joby meets her again and realizes that his signature will grant her legal custody of their daughter named Ellen he begins thinking about his child which he doesn't know at all.Subtly and acutely directed by Asian filmmaker So Yong Kim, this quietly paced fictional tale which is narrated mostly from the main character's point of view, draws a gently moving portrayal of a father who has been running away from his responsibilities as a parent and who slowly though perhaps too late acknowledges what his way of life has done to him. While notable for its naturalistic milieu depictions, fine cinematography by American cinematographer Reed Morano Walker and production design by production designer Ryan Smith, this character-driven story about a daughter's meeting with her biological father depicts a reflective study of character and contains a great score by Icelandic composer and producer Jóhann Jóhannsson.This heartfelt, authentic and conversational indie which is set somewhere in America during a winter and where a man whom is about to make a crucial decision regarding his own life which will also affect the lives of others is struck down to earth by a person who alters his life forever, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, subtle character development and continuity, pivotal instrumental tones, humane aura and the genuinely good acting performances by American actors Paul Dano, Jon Heder and child actress Shaylene Lynn Madigo in her debut feature film role. A silent, minimalistic and incisive cinematic letter from a filmmaker who through an efficiently understated style of filmmaking reaches the essence of her characters.

I think the acting for Dano was very spot on but unfortunately it just developed his character and did not advance any storyline very well. The spoiler is that the ending was just a cop-out with the lead character leaving his car, guitar and other belongings to run away. I guess that was supposed to be symbolic of his life in general. I also will almost agree with the other reviewer who said it should have been two short films. I think one really good short film could have been edited from this one film. The fact that reviews need to be ten lines is a foolish rule that needs to be protested and spotlighted for the inane babble that it will foster in that people will write a lot of crap so that they can have their ten lines whereas I think I expressed my sentiments and thoughtful comments succinctly and concisely with just the first five lines of this review and thus I had to write this five line single sentence so that my first five lines might be read and appreciated and that this very long sentence will be admired for the lack of brevity it represents. I think that is ten now. Peace BWadd

I can see that some people don't like the movie. It is really slow paced and the main actor seems more passive than anything. But it's only the surface that looks that "boring". I think the main actor (I've seen him before in a few other features) is doing a pretty good job. And he has to, because he carries the movie on his shoulders. His drive has to be convincing (even though it's not that apparent as I said before) for the viewer.Heder has a small role, but the character he portrays could easily be a Napoleon Dynamite offspring. Still he does have a few laughs to offer (laughs that might not sit well with some people I guess). I really like the idea and the execution, but try it, before you buy it