The Driftless Area (2015)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

After watching this I really wanted to read the book, only because it was pretty decent, which means the book must be worth a read! It's a very dry melodic somber piece where characters are going through the motions of a placid existence, until the Universe creates a little chain of events that has a purpose to one's being. Yes, it's that kind of movie that keeps the mind ticking through the whole duration, and really does not give away too many answers, allowing the viewer to indulge in their own fantasy mindset and reasons.Yeah, I know, another schmaltzy piece about life after death and the whole damn thing. But this one really downplays it. The tone and speed of this movie will not elate the majority, but then again, being amongst the majority can sometimes be bland and plain narrow-minded.Yelchin is perfectly cast, toning it down a notch for his melancholy character. Zooey is literally angelic, and Langella adds another mystery level. Even the supporting cast played into the wry tone of this neat little production.

I rented "The Driftless Area" from a Redbox machine and admired the offbeat nature of this low-budget fantasy-thriller.A very fine cast is assembled with such veteran actors as Frank Langella and Cirian Hinds. Zooey Deschanel is lovely as Stella, the principal supernatural character. And Anton Yelchin is perfect as the Everyman figure named Pierre.The film's narrative starts on the premise of cause-and-effect action and how seemingly random occurrences have fateful consequences. At the heart of the drama is the arson that is committed on a farm house with the petty criminal unaware that the home was occupied by a young woman. The film builds from that experience with a quirky set of characters playing out a fantasy revenge and redemption story.The directorial approach to the film could have been more creative in evoking the supernatural aura surrounding the character of Stella. It was not clear, for instance, how Stella could appear to Pierre both as a real-life character and as a vision of light. There were too many confusing moments that could have been imaginatively developed in an otherwise thoughtful and sensitive film idea.

This is one of those films that should be watched two or three times to catch everything that is happening in this story. I will not attempt to relate the plot line here. My advice is to listen to the philosophical statements many of the characters speak during the movie. That is key in understanding whats happening just above the obvious.Anton Yelchin as 'Pierre' finds himself, on his return to his hometown, caught between the real world and the metaphysical world and a murder. Human desire and action - is it impulsive or predetermined? What controls our life - lust for material gain and if so what effect does that have on the next life? Maybe I'm reading way too much into this film but I found it entertaining and thoughtful. The murder for profit eventually comes to the surface and Pierre's fate hangs by a thread. There is mystery and action enough to keep the casual viewer entertained.

Very unusual movie. I went to see this at the 2015's Tribeca Film Festival, because I really enjoyed the book and wanted to see how the movie adaption went. Even though it does follow the book, it has certain aspects that are different and parts of the movie become extremely confusing if you haven't been paying super close attention. It is beautifully shot, and the cast is especially remarkable. The main character, played by Yelchin, was in fact my least favorite one. His character is confusing, and you wonder what part is he actually playing within the plot. It's not a bad performance at all, but he does lack emotion in some of the scenes. Ms. Deschanel plays Stella, probably the most intriguing and haunting character in the story. She seems not to fit anywhere, and makes us wonder whether she's real or just an illusion. Her undeniable and almost ethereal beauty is especially highlighted in a scene where she is wearing a white dress - half the theatre gasped here, she was distressingly beautiful! And overall a great performance that shows her dramatic side is as good as her comedic, New Girl one. Probably my favorite performance in the film. Plaza has a short role in it, but she is really good. Very different from her Parks and Rec portrayal, but great nonetheless. I wish we'd gotten to see more of her, as I think she is in it for around two- three scenes. John Hawkes is wonderful as the "villain" of the story, and makes you hate him within ten minutes into the movie. I'd give it a 7/10- story is weak at some parts, but a great cast and beautiful photography makes up for those. I'm really hoping they release it soon so that I can give it another try. The ending was quick and open for interpretation- we are left wrecking our brains for the most likely outcome.