Coastlines

I was in this movie, and I am terribly disappointed it is not available to the public-- not just because I am in it, but because it is well acted, written, and directed. Victor Nunez was lauded for his other works... why not for this one?

This movie impressed way beyond my expectations. My wife left shortly after the beginning of the first viewing but stayed throughout on a second viewing and rated it as a very competently produced movie with deeper meanings which we were able to discuss at length.

Without its excellent script, direction and acting the story could have descended into the realm of a daytime dreary. For a casual viewer inured to daytime drearies, perhaps that's all they'd gain from "Coastlines" but, unfortunately, they'd be missing out on much more.

In Australia, we live directly above a superb beach and are quite familiar with the coastal atmosphere depicted in "Coastlines". In its US setting, however there was a freshness and many local differences which were brilliantly depicted and thoroughly enjoyable. One of the film's visual highlights was an aerial depiction of potentially intersecting car journeys between husband, Dave, and his wife, Ann. The tension of them possibly meeting was dramatically underscored by the loneliness of the chosen roads and the flat coastal scenery. The cars do not meet however and the camera moves up the show the vast hinterland. This sequence quintessentially underscored what was happening to the characters. It was one of many just brilliant parts of the film.

Typical of the film's authenticity was detail such as Dave's competent night-time manoeuvring of an outboard-powered boat as he reversed it from its moorings and even the screen on its depth sounder being alight. A lesser production would have the craft just ready to zoom into the night.

A previous reviewer takes issue with Victor Nunez "sound design choices". I'm not quite sure what this reviewer's referring to but, if its the film's background music, I couldn't disagree more. Normally, I enjoy only classical music, but in this film, the predominantly percussive music score faithfully echoes the drama of the dialog. All this is done at a virtually subconscious level. It's incredible Experiencing such powerful sound being kept so unobtrusive is worth a separate viewing of the film just to appreciate this achievement.

The film's acting was also first class. I'm not familiar with any of the actors but any director who avoided giving the part of Ann to the ubiquitous Meryl Streep, playing Meryl Streep, is a friend for life. Sarah Wynter playing Ann was brilliant, not only in the subtleties of her facial expression but in the small detail of gesture such as rubbing her fingers on a fat lady's shoulder as she ushered her through a medical centre or in responding to the children in the film, including her own. A previous reviewer observes that Ann's character "is at first heart warming but rapidly becomes disturbingly uncomfortable and tense, and oddly enough more so to the viewer than to the characters when the movie ends with a tentative resolve." This is an excellent description of the character's emotional spectrum. For me one of the most memorably tense exchanges was where she challenges her husband with her infidelity. He counter replies, "Is that it then?"

There are truly many layers of meaning to examine in this wonderful movie. A well-earned eight stars!

A previous reviewer believes the two other movies in Nunez "Panhandle Trilogy" are superior to "Coastlines". It is difficult to believe this but they're certainly well reviewed. We'll look forward very much to obtaining copies and watching them.

'Coastlines' is a film that draws you in with superb character development. It takes a methodical approach allowing the players on screen plenty of space to grow their characters. Through the first parts of the film I was riveted; not by flashy Hollywood gimmicks, but through the purity of each actor's performance and their course through the story.

The progression through the middle of the film maintains this steady hand, and we are introduced to branching story lines which keeps the viewer guessing at what's coming next. Is this a revenge film? Is it a story about friendship, or perhaps a story of betrayal? It never becomes clear as to what 'type' of movie you're watching, and this leads to a sense of anticipation as the film is rarely predictable.

I was waiting for some kind of dramatic conclusion near the end, or more appropriately, I was pondering what judgments the film would make on the morality of its characters. 'Coastlines' never makes any bold statements to this effect, however, besides perhaps the thematic allusions to unconditional love. The story takes a foray into complex adult themes without finding a coherent resolution, and I feel this was the bridge too far for 'Coastlines'.

If you are a patient viewer who appreciates the nuances of finely wrought character development then I encourage you to see this film... and draw your own conclusions.

Victor Nunoz's Coastlines is a nice small town drama with some top players all giving fine work, causing me to wonder why more people haven't heard of it, and how come it didn't get a wider release. In any case, it's low key and really captures the quaint rural vibe of less densely populated areas in the states. The cast is absolutely to die for, consisting mainly of very distinct, frequently garish actors who all play it dead straight and relaxed, which is a huge switch up for most of them. Timothy Olyphant plays Sonny Mann, an ex convict recently released from prison, quietly arriving back to his Florida hometown, and the dregs of the life he left behind. His Pa (the ever awesome Scott Wilson) is conflicted by long simmering resentment, and the love for his son buried just beneath. Sonny reconnects with his best friend Dave Lockhart (Josh Brolin), who has become the town's sheriff in the years gone by. Sparks fly between Dave's wife (Sarah Wynter) and Sonny, creating a rift between the two and illustrating Sonny's unavoidable knack for creating trouble for himself, and those around him. Further tension comes along when the town's local crime lord Fred Vance (William Forsythe at his most genial and sedated) tries to strong-arm Sonny into assisting with nefarious deeds, using his younger brother Eddie (Josh Lucas) to convince him. Even when tragedy strikes and these characters go head to head, it's in the most relaxed, laconic way that permeates southern life. Robert Wisdom has a nice bit, Angela Bettis shows up as a girl with a thing for bad boys, and watch for the late great Daniel Von Bargen as the local Sheriff. This one fits nicely into a niche that leans heavily on small town drama, dips its toes ever so slightly into thriller territory, and is a charming little piece that's worth a look to see these actors on an acting sabbatical.

Victor Nunez is on par with a lot of directors who use their surroundings as their muse. Like Scorcese with New York, Mann with L.A., or Shamalyan with Pennsylvania, Nunez builds his stories around an area he knows well: east coast Florida. His masterpiece "Ulee's Gold" used the enchanting backdrop of Orlando's peaceful outskirts to build on the emotional aspects of its main character Ulee. The movie came alive from Nunez's subtle, but powerful focus on atmosphere, character nuance and rich symbolism.

It's disappointing that his follow-up "Coastlines" (which completes his "Panhandle Trilogy") had some of those elements in tact, but failed to use them effectively. The story is about a young man named Sonny (played by a well-cast Timothy Olyphant) who gets released from prison to a home town that has grown up without him. He gets back in touch with his old friend Dave, who is now a police officer and married to Sonny's old crush Ann. Simultaneously, he deals with unsettled issues from his old mobbed-up employers.

From that story come some potentially engaging themes like revenge, jealousy, nostalgia, disenchantment and betrayal. However, disappointment quickly sets in when the scenes become more and more dull. The screenplay was written before "Ulee's Gold," and is extremely similar, with many characters and back stories almost exactly mirroring those of the previous film. "Coastlines" brings nothing new to the table, and has no energy with the subject matter at hand. As the movie moves on, it becomes hard to shake the feeling that Nunez had run out of inspiration.

What the movie lacks despite energy is originality. The movie contains plenty of drama, but there is nothing happening that hasn't been done better in other movies. What Nunez needed, in order to transcend the clichés, was the rich undertones and subtexts that made "Ulee" so engrossing. Nunez needed another layer of depth to give weight to all the things going on in his story.

There is no doubt that Victor Nunez is an excellent independent director. However, that doesn't excuse the fact that "Coastlines" is a movie that simply didn't need to be made.