Things That Hang from Trees

1 of the locally shot films in the Jacksonville Film Festival. A series of creepy, moody events guide this bare bones plot about a semi-retarded kid wanting to see the July 4 fireworks. The kid drifts through the days and seems barely aware of his cringe-inducing father, drug-addled mother (Deborah Kara Unger who poses in negligee in her store front window) and spiteful Christian weirdo neighbor. There are tons of weirdos in this film. The main character basically bumps into all of them along his way to see the fireworks.

This brings me to my only real issue with this film. There are almost too many unpleasant aspects of the south squashed into what is really just a straightforward story about a kid with a very kid-like goal. At times it weighs down the film.

The actors were all good. A seriously sexy Deborah Kara Unger was born to play roles like this.

Overall I liked the film a lot and thought it was a nice break from the norm.

Saw this at SXSW and liked it. The flick centers around a sort-of-autistic kid? whose whacked-out mother (Deborah Unger) models lingerie in the window of her store. The characters are all pretty grotesque and are almost more a symbol to the kid instead of believable peoples. (especially the kids abusive dad played by one of my favs -the crazy priest in Deadwood---Ray McKinnon.) My main problem with the film is the lack of any magical quality to the tree of which the whole film is named?

The acting (casting especially) was good, the story is there---subtle with a deemphasis on plot which has it flirt dangerously with dullness. Every time though, the story surprises.

I found the cinematography to be one of the films strongest elements- Not perfect but pretty impressive for first time director.

Oh my gosh what a terrible film. The dialogie is atrocious, and none of the characters are the least bit interesting. All the performances are deadpan and lack any vitality. The plot is garbage, and the kid they cast in the lead has little to no acting talent whatsoever. Yes, the townspeople are eccentric, but unfortunately it doesn't translate into entertaining folk. They're either extremely annoying or entirely unbelievable. I have no idea what anyone associated with the making of this travesty was thinking. It's hard to believe they didn't realize they were making the dullest most simpleminded movie ever created. By the midway point I was just angry about how stupid everything was unfolding. It honestly just got worse and worse. If I was forced to find a positive, I'd say there were some very beautiful classic cars in the background of some shots. A putrid aberration that will only nauseate viewers with an appreciation for fine cinema.

A great movie at Atlanta Film Festival. A slow but atmospheric look at the strange inhabitants of a small southern town. Racism, childhood trauma and religious hypocrisy abound.

The Director spoke about the film after and mentioned that the tree in the novel held a much greater symbolic importance than was in the movie. Though I didn't read the novel I could see that being true. That in my opinion was the weakest element of the movie. The only time they showed it was during begin credits and at the end. I'll read the novel.

This movie is a cult-classic-to-be because so many different feelings and opinions can be derived from its awkward quietness and because of the beautiful imagery and rich alien atmosphere it's the kind of movie you want to see times over.

An extremely dark narrative about a young boy & his strange relationship with his mum (Deborah Kara Unger) who operates a sexy lingerie shop in a conservative southern township that clearly doesn't want her. (It doesn't help her situation that she models the nighties she sells in the windows storefront) Everything is tricky from the start for the young boy. He's bullied continuously & is frozen blank with fear of all that surrounds him. (Including the sickening memories of his estranged & deranged father the part played expertly by Ray McKinnon) The complications for the boy & his mother aren't simply resolved, & so the future of these characters isn't clear. The ending is enjoyably ambiguous & because of its general strangeness it will earn its spot in the genre of the cult film.