Back home

Working within a tired construct, this movie puts stereotypes and almost-characters in painfully self-conscious "real-life" situations within which they ape human reactions. Although the plot is reliant upon a buildup of tension, no such progression comes, and nothing changes for any of the (mostly inexplicably) bitter characters who congregate in the family home for a supposedly revealing and explosive holiday reunion. This profoundly irritating story is clumsily written, poorly shot and populated by dull, unsympathetic and self-involved characters. Its 90 minutes felt like days.

Thanksgiving is that time of the year loved by movie makers as it presents an opportunity to bring together families, even dysfunctional ones. Bert Freundlich sets "The Myth of the Fingerprints" in such a setting. We saw the film it during its initial release, we thought it was a good effort for a young man starting his career in films. On second viewing, the other night, the film, although enjoyable, did not have the same effect as when it made its debut.

First of all, some of the relationships don't ring true. That is the case of Mia, the oldest of the girls. We watch as she and Elliott arrive by train while they are involved in a quickie before getting home. This action of being seen in public in such a compromising position, is completely out of character with the Mia we get to see in the scenes that follow. Right after they get to the family home, we get the impression these two are as compatible as oil and vinegar. What is she trying to prove? She goes into town with an attitude of a city slicker, when she meets Cezanne. She reacquaints herself with the boy that had a crush on her, but she has erased from her mind, to the point of appearing this guy was from Mars. This, we didn't buy. Her eventual involvement with Cezanne is something Mia, who hates the rural setting of her youth just doesn't make sense after her haughty demeanor and city ways.

Then there is Warren. He still pines after the loss of Daphne, the beautiful former girlfriend who comes to see him when he gets home. Daphne obviously has not stopped loving Warren, but there is an incident that happened some time before during a party. When she tells Warren about it, it becomes plain he had witnessed the incident, but didn't do anything to stop it from happening.

The seemingly contented parents are also a puzzle. The father, Jake, is an enigma. He is a taciturn man who doesn't interact with his children well. Lena, the mother, seems to know much more than what she led us to believe about her marriage and her relation with Jake.

The acting, in general, is good, no small feat to achieve by someone without much experience under his belt, but Mr. Freundlich succeeds in getting some inspired appearances, especially from Noah Wyle and Julianne Moore. The cast is young and do ensemble work. Hope Davis, Blythe Danner, Arija Baeikis, Michael Vartan, are seen among the supporting cast.

Bart Freundlich showed a promise with this film, and has continued to be among our best young directors since this effort.

As those who can personally relate to this story well understand, not all stories about damaged families can have resolution and closure. The Myth of Fingerprints is quite honest in that regard. The story provides some explanation of what happened but not why, much like real life. What we do get is richly painted characters provided by strong performances, good writing, and good direction who tell us their story and allow us to draw our own conclusions. It's well worth the effort for those who appreciate a drama that doesn't take short cuts and permits the characters to tell their own stories instead of spoon feeding the audience and neatly wrapping everything up like an unwanted birthday present.

I would recommend this film; I was drawn in by the cast, particularly Julianne Moore and Blythe Danner. It's a typical situation...tense family angst around the Thanksgiving table. But this time, it's not played for cuteness (i.e., Jodie Foster's "Home for the Holidays"). Dad (Roy Scheider, giving a really icy performance) is seriously unstable, as is the eldest daughter (Julianne Moore). Mom (Blythe Danner) and the baby of the family (Noah Wyle, also a producer) are more likeable -- this being an indie, it also means they're less interesting. The other two children are pretty much ignored by the script, though Hope Davis as the eldest son's romantic interest gives the picture a lift whenever she appears on screen. There are a few amusing moments and clever lines of dialogue, but it's not a Woody Allen comedy/drama -- this one is more raw and probably more honest. Definitely worth a rental. You might love it or hate it, but it will assuredly affect you one way or the other.

I turned this off after the first five minutes when I first saw it on TV. After seeing it again years later I enjoyed it a lot more than I though I would. It's just a simple story of a fairly dysfunctional family getting together for the holidays.

I liked the beautiful, sparsely populated Maine setting. James LeGros' off the wall character was the best thing about the film. I would have liked to have seen more of him. And hallelujah, one of my all time favorite actors, Roy Schneider is back in A-list action after being stuck in B-movie hell for so damn long. Noah Wyle and redheaded vixen Julianne Moore dish out good performances as well.

It's not a great film by any stretch of the imagination. Just a surprisingly good one. It could have been a bit longer, maybe the screenplay punched up and it would qualify as great. But kudos all around nonetheless to the cast and filmmakers, they still did themselves proud, baby. This movie is a hidden gem. It wasn't widely seen as it should have been.