Water's Edge

Let's see if I can remember the initial details at the beginning of this "opus." A young couple are going to a cabin owned by his late father. In an opening scene, she is dreaming of being underwater with some sort of plastic barrier preventing her from emerging. This is something like, say, a 10th-grade student might write as a scene in a sophomoric attempt to copy Fellini's "8-1/2." But it's a perfectly appropriate beginning for this flick, which looks like something Ed Wood would have done if he'd had a bit larger and better-looking cast, and enough more in budget to film in British Columbia with better equipment. Other than that, this movie doesn't exceed what he could have achieved, but without the underlying humor and "so-bad-it's-good" quality of Ed's works.

The lead couple are broke. They have fled Gotham to recuperate from a family tragedy. She's contemplating suicide, and to regain their financial status, he's here to complete the great American novel, and thereby they obviously hope to restore themselves both financially and emotionally.

Things get off to a bad start when the lead male/author goes out in a boat to begin writing, but the pages of his text (which are lying in an open box on the boat's seat) blow away into the lake. He returns to the cabin, and finding a loaded shotgun (wife had loaded and aimed at her chin in contemplation of whacking herself), declares they've both had a bad day.

She indicates a need to have something to go with their rice and beans, and he departs with the shotgun, in search of a duck for main course. He almost immediately stumbles upon a policeman who drags a young woman, who is bound and gagged, from the trunk of his vehicle. About to shoot her point-blank, the backwoods gendarme thinks he hears something, so decides to bash her head with a rock instead. The lead then confronts the corrupt lawman, and ignoring the latter's admonition not to interfere with "police business," offs him with his shotgun. Along the way he subsequently discovers another body, 200K in cash, and some racy pictures of the young woman and the mayor (played by the most prominent name in this film, Heaven-Help-Us, Daniel Baldwin).

Soon, we have scenes where the hero is attending a charity auction at the town's library, while his wife chats with the mysterious young woman he had rescued, as the latter cleans-up in the tub. They chat as if they were two sorority sisters getting ready to go to a theme party. At the library, he's introduced as a prominent author and honored guest at the auction. Presumably, the dead lawman is simply still just drawing flies in the woods.

And so it continues, and the remaining plot occurrences and storyline represent time capsule examples of the meaning of the words "banal," "vacuous," and (again) "sophomoric."

All of this is about as gripping as a "Three Stooges" offering. And we all know the "Stooges" writers weren't interested in creating great plots; the main purpose was to create situations where Moe could slap Larry and Curly, hit them on their heads with a mallet, and poke their eyes. The end purpose here is anyone's guess.

"Water's Edge" screenwriter Craig Brewer wrote and directed the very low-budget, very compelling and brilliant "The Poor and Hungry", so that was all I really needed to know to put this picture at the top of my rental que. I'm a little disappointed. This is only a formulae thriller, perhaps just a cut above average, with decent casting and direction. I can see the Craig Brewer touch in the screenplay: relatively interesting characters, mostly believable plot considering the contrivances necessary for a formulae thriller, and good dialogue. I will still keep an eye on this remarkable talent for another unforgettable picture like his first. Some day. In the meantime I know you gotta pay the rent.

The movie had some potential, but it was saddled with HORRIBLE acting, directing and producing. Seriously, the woman who played Rae gave one of the worst performances I've seen in quite some time. I found myself squirming in my seat, I was so embarrassed for her.

Unfortunately for her, the direction wasn't helping her. People should see this if only to see how bad her first real talking scene is. Film students should also watch this to see how NOT to film a flashback.

The writing and direction were also lacking in depth and detail. Some of the dialog was uninspired, to put it politely.

The only actor who delivered was Nathan Fillion as Robert (the lead). People should definitely see him in his proper role on the TV show Firefly, available on DVD.

I was feeling most of this movie but Molly coming back at the end from the water just in time was too much.

Nicely paced drama with tense to intense moments. Excellent casting and location make for superb ingredients of an unfolding rural mystery. The human conditions of broken dreams, empathy, greed, and love play major roles in fleshing out the characters brought together in this small place, in this small moment ... in time.

The major characters of Robert, Molly, and Rae flow downstream in increasing torrents of emotional whitewater, as jutting rocks of sex, murder, and deceitful suspense reveal themselves. Nice "Hitchcock-tonian" touch applied with a goateed Daniel Baldwin playing the shrewd small-town Mayor. [ What better way to accentuate a drama/mystery than applying a 'lil Daniel .... with those piercing blue eyes !?! ]

In my opinion, the climax was a bit "watered down" , but as in Life ... all is not as we might have hoped for , but as we have wrought , going up... only .... to the edge .

Good move by the producers to change the title to the present one from the former ... "Wicked Season" . Vive la Canadiens ! Bringing us all .... to the Waters Edge ....