Population 436 (2006)

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Let's be realistic.

A lot of fun.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Very average low budget movie about Census Agency agent stuck in your typical American rural town with crazy locals keeping their secrets, where sheriff just says "we have our own laws here". This one has a permanent population number of 436, hence the title. The origins of the mystery behind it are explained poorly and sound absurd (also, what "wicked man"?). You get the feeling "I watched all these scenes somewhere already and know all these dialogues" while watching the movie, all the cliches and dumb decisions are there.What's the real mystery is how Fred Durst ended up here, who plays a deputy sheriff. It's actually his only role in the movie which he didn't direct himself (not counting TV series). I didn't know about his involvement with the production of this film and seeing him here was a surprise.It's an OK rental if you have nothing else to watch, it actually feels looks and feels like a TV movie. The orchestral soundtrack is pleasant to listen.

The story follows Steve Kady(Sisto) as a census taker who stumbles into a small town called 'Rockwell Falls', town where the population has stayed the same for over a 100 years. I was very pleased with this movie, although it is similar to, for example "The Wickerman" with Cage, this film does not have big budget, celebrities or special effects. Its' core is a unique story. Jeremy Sisto is good actor, He was having an okay role here, role of just an ordinary guy who came to a small town which has 436 habitants since 1860 or so. The plot actually is very predictable, what you can see even in the beginning of the movie, woman giving birth, then that scene is just inter-cut with a scene that sees a man killed in a car accident. Even when they accept Kady as "one of their" they have to kill another woman from the village to keep its' population exactly at 436.

I really enjoyed this movie. Not only am I a fan of Jeremy Sisto, I'm a fan of psychological thrillers that gives the audience a puzzle to figure out by the end of the movie. This flick provides both.I've seen people saying stuff like "well it doesn't explain XYZ." It's not supposed to explain anything to the viewer, the viewer is given clues throughout and put the pieces together to figure it out for themselves. It's sad that people have become so accustomed to being passively entertained, that they can't enjoy a movie unless everything is neatly organized in easily understood sound bites. This movie is about many things. If I were to give a short synopsis, I'd say it's about the lines blurred between belief and reality, delusion and magic. It's kind of like the Believers, only with some good old fashioned occultism thrown in. The only difference, is that the ending is supposed to be *subjective* to viewer interpretation. Does the shared dream between Jeremy Sisto and the little girl confirm that there's higher forces at work? Perhaps. If so, is it God? Or is it the result of a spell cast long ago? The world may never know.

We've seen similar films before. Single person traveling alone ends up in small community where news travels fast of the new stranger. Townfolk watching in a conspirational manner. Everyone acting as though their town is the very best place to live. This film is a variation of that theme so it feels somewhat familiar. The acting is good and even though we may be able to figure out what is going to happen this is an effective little film. It's just enough tension to keep you interested and rooting for the hero. It is a bit disturbing to think about what is happening with some of the locals but not too gruesome or horrible. I would say the weakest part is probably the editing or how some scenes end rather abruptly.