memesmith-1 Reviews

A Loss of Innocence (1996 TV Movie)

Keep it in the Family

[15 December 2004]

Passion. How does it get expressed and with whom? That is the question this film addresses in a very powerful way. Imagine an E.M. Forster novel set in a small Mormon town instead of the English countryside. (This is not quite as witty as Forster, but it is every bit as subtle.)

Erik (Rob Estes) is a pianist and rather unwelcome in his family. Whether Erik is not warmly welcomed by his family because he found fame as an internationally renowned musician, which they don't understand, or because of the unique complexities of brotherhood only found in formerly polygamous societies, which I don't understand, is not ultimately the point. The point is Erik brings passion as an artist to a community that is rather parochial. He falls in love with Chel (Jennie Garth) who is beautiful and very talented as a pianist herself. The trouble is that she is betrothed to Erik's brother Jens (Mike Doyle) who is the only of Erik's brothers that seems to appreciate Erik's music.

I was quite compelled watching their triangle. It evokes joy of purity and naiveté muddled with the genuine desire to please God and not hurt each other. To see the pain caused by such love is painful.

This is not a great film, but it is certainly very good. It is a timeless story well told.

Kandahar (2001)

3/10 -- three cool images

[3/10 · 22 February 2002]

On balance, I was disappointed by this film. I wanted very much for it to be excellent. I have no images of Afghanistan in my mind and I wanted very much to see Kandahar from the eyes of one attempting to go there. I was disappointed. There were, however, three excellent images from this film. The first was the throng of burqua covered travelers heading toward the wedding. The second was the surreal parachuting prosthetic legs and the third was the series of family portraits taken of refugees before they returned home.

I was disappointed that this was such a western feeling film. It shocks me that the heroine was interested not in preserving her homeland or even restoring it. Her goal was merely to save her friend and leave. She did so by flashing wads of US dollars and expecting the locals to jump at the chance to get money. She even expected the refugee father to stick with her and protect her instead of his family because she had paid him. None of the indigenous people had any agency at all, and there was no remorse demonstrated about this truth.

In the film-maker's defense, I cannot imagine any distribution contract coming for a movie which does the things I am seeking, but that was my hope nevertheless.

If you see it, see it for the occasional stirring image, but don't expect plot, dialog or character development.