Arcadia

This movie is about a father abandoned his home in New England with three kids in a dented station wagon and decided to move to the city of Arcadia, Los Angeles, California.

This so-called as a "Road Trip", "Coming of Age" movie was obviously written by a guy who didn't know anything about the modern day realistic America, just crated a completely fantasy. Here are the whys:

First of all, he drove a dented station wagon. It means that he's poor with low income or no income at all. He is either unemployed or just was fired from his job. If the station wagon is dented, it also means that the vehicle is old, and he neither has the money to buy a new car, nor the money to have it repaired.

There is a quite vague reason why he decided to move to Arcadia, a city with so many expensive properties. A decision of choosing Los Angeles County is also an unrealistic scenario, a similar moronic one since as poor as his poor financial condition, there is no way he could afford the high cost of housing and the living costs in the Golden State, besides the necessary qualification to rent or even consider buying a house. If he does not have a current job in California to prove that he has been employed, an acceptable credit scores, a saving that can afford paying the first month and last month security deposit, or some believable referrals in New England, there is no way he could find any roof in Arcadia to live under it with his three kids.

Furthermore, the absurd movie also failed to explain the reason behind abandoning his wife. Why his three kids agreed to travel with him without their mother? These highly improbable reasons or excuses never explained or exposed.

Therefore, with so many unbelievable flaws and premises, the whole movie does not have any foundation for me to watch further.

A father is taking his 3 kids across America to start a new job and in their new home.

But is the family in crisis and where is Mum?

This is a splendid "growing up" movie.

High class script, super realistic acting and some real emotional drama played out in a subtle but powerful way.

Had me engrossed throughout.

Thank you Sundance for this picture.

Excellent movie, deserving top marks!

9/10

Awesome parents are a Blessing. Not a given. Never is this more painfully ap"parent" then in the curious coming of age film "Arcadia".

John Hawkes is both compelling and pitiable as a dad who drives his three children west cross country in a beat-up station wagon to a new life in sunny southern California. He assures the youngsters that everything is going to be great in their new home. Trouble is they are leaving mom behind for ambiguous reasons that are only gradually revealed as this sad story unfolds. There is no definitive time table for her to join the rest of the family. And the kids are not all right with that.

The takeaway from "Arcadia" may best be expressed thusly: So often times the best a mother and father can do isn't exactly going to earn them consideration for "Parents of the Year". Still, these women and men love and care about their sons and daughters. And they are doing the best that they can do. The hope is that their progeny understand and embrace this.

And in so doing, they themselves won't have to grow up much too soon.

A superbly acted and involving film that shows what great cinema can achieve when the writer-director at the helm has true vision. The story of 'Arcadia' is centred on a classic American family road trip, and anyone who's travelled with their siblings and parents on a long journey will recognise the authentic detail that forms the fabric of this film. But the director creates and builds a sense of tension from the opening scenes up to the finale, such that one feels completely involved with the characters - as we see ourselves and family shine through them. John Hawkes is engrossing as ever, and the actors that play his kids more than hold their own - this is their movie. Every moment reads truthful, every scene takes you deeper into the story. One can only wish for more feature films of this calibre.

As always, John Hawkes is impressive as the tense, complex patriarch in this story of a broken family's road trip from New England to their new life in California. However it's Ryan Simpkin's film, and we see the film through her character Greta's watchful and sensitive eyes. Ty Simpkins, Ryan's real life brother also gives a sweet, funny and touching performance as her brother in the film. The two actors have a great dynamic and I hope we get to see more of these two together in future films. I found this film to be quietly moving and subtly powerful. The director, Olivia Silver, has a light and sensitive touch, and she makes the viewer feel as though she's simply let the actors naturally play their stories out. I'll be keeping a watch out for more of her films to come.