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Title: Undertow (2004)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jamie Bell | ... | Chris Munn | |
| Kristen Stewart | ... | Lila | |
| Robert Longstreet | ... | Bern | |
| Terry Loughlin | ... | Officer Clayton | |
| Dermot Mulroney | ... | John Munn | |
| Devon Alan | ... | Tim Munn | |
| Josh Lucas | ... | Deel Munn | |
| Eddie Rouse | ... | Wadsworth Pela | |
 |
Patrice Johnson | ... | Amica Pela |
|
|
Charles 'Jester' Poston | ... | Hard Hat Dandy |
|
|
Mark Darby Robinson | ... | Conway |
| Pat Healy | ... | Grant the Mechanic | |
| Leigh Higginbotham | ... | Muriel the Cashier (as Leigh Hill) | |
|
|
Alfred M. Jackson | ... | Dock Worker |
|
|
William D. Turner | ... | Dock Worker |
Following the death of his wife Audrey, John Munn moves with his two sons, mid-teen Chris Munn and adolescent Tim Munn, to a pig farm in rural Drees County, Georgia, where they lead a reclusive life. The boys' maternal grandparents no longer visit due to being out of sorts with John. Chris is rebelling against this life in ways where he is regularly picked up by the police. Because of Tim's young age and health issues, Chris is routinely asked by their father to do more than his fair share of work around the farm. Into their lives returns Deel Munn, John's brother who the two boys did not even know existed. John emotionally distanced himself from Deel following Audrey's death and Deel's incarceration, Deel who has just been released from prison. John, however, welcomes his brother in a effort to mend old wounds, and for the boys to get to know one of their few relations. They will all soon learn that Deel has ulterior motives for his visit, those motives emerging largely from those ... Written by Huggo
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John (Dermot Mulroney) is a single father living in backwoods Georgia with his two sons, teenaged Chris (Jamie Bell) and younger Tim (Devon Alan). Their quiet and routine lives are disrupted with the arrival of Deel (Josh Lucas), John's estranged brother. They decide to try to work things out and become a family, but competitiveness gets the best of the two men, secrets are revealed, and this quickly leads to horrific violence. The two kids escape the situation only to find themselves being hunted across the state.
The opening credits have a 70s Dukes of Hazzard feel (ostensibly the filmmaker's way of letting us know in which decade this story is set, as the isolated existence of the family gives no indication) that includes random freeze-frames. This is an early clue that this movie is going to be a unique experience. The freeze-frames become distracting (and seemingly arbitrary) when they return later interspersed throughout the film, but they help to loosen up the exciting (but excruciating!) introduction. The cinematography throughout this film is absolutely gorgeous and makes rural Georgia appear to be some sort of poverty-stricken fantasy land.
The performances are excellent. Mulroney and Lucas, two typical supporting Hollywood heartthrobs that some might say are miscast, actually play well off of each other and are very believable as brothers. The child actors are phenomenal, which is important as the story belongs to these two boys who are suddenly faced with violence that changes their lives. The plot borders on a twisted fairytale--it even involves gold coins! This seems silly at times, but considering this movie is told through the perspective of two young boys, it is somehow fitting.
The movie is at times quirky and filled with charming weirdness. Tim, in particular, is a fascinating character that has some sort of eating disorder where his body rejects food but craves things like paint, mud, and worms. The supporting characters the boys meet on their journey are equally bizarre. Some scenes come across as ridiculous or absurd, but Undertow is a film that is rich in both symbolism and metaphor and it is necessary to look for the deeper meaning of such scenes.
Alternately charming and disturbing, Undertow is a powerful film about the horrors of betrayal and family violence, and the beauty of forgiveness. Highly recommended, but be warned that the violence is graphic and very difficult to watch.
My Rating: 8/10