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| OCTOBER 20, 2005 | Send features
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Movie Review
Classic Crowe
Look behind the cameras to find
this film’s real star
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| — Courtesy art |
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By Mark
Roberts
The Shorthorn staff
By no fault of their own, Elizabethtown’s stars, Orlando Bloom
and Kirsten Dunst, were upstaged by a man who never appears on camera.
Writer/director Cameron Crowe’s presence resounds above all
else in his story about Drew Baylor (Bloom) and his path of self-discovery,
which begins in Elizabethtown, Ky. Bloom slowly chips his way into
the “credible leading man” category with his better-than-average
performance.
Along the way, Baylor encounters all types of personalities but
none more important to him than free-spirited stewardess Claire
Colburn (Dunst). Dunst doesn’t need to do much to convince
the audience of her cliché free-spirited role.
Crowe followers will love this film. The plot, similar to those
of his past films, and the consistently playing music make this
film scream “Crowe.”
Whether you like Crowe or not, he does a clever job walking a fine
line between making fun of small town life and showing its endearing
qualities. He also exposes its oddities and quirks, which helps
the viewer relate to how out-of-place a city man like Baylor can
feel.
Crowe also has a good sense of his camera location and frame composition.
Every camera angle has a purpose, and each surreal picture has a
message.
He has reasons behind his unique style of directing, and in Elizabethtown,
those reasons work.
Despite showing his influences too often, Crowe writes and directs
an enjoyable film that can leave movie watchers with both smiles
and tears.
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ELIZABETHTOWN
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst
Director: Cameron Crowe
Rating: PG-13
Ranking: 4 stars
on a 1-5 scale
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