Milwaukee, Minnesota

It's pretty hard to criticise a labour of love, and Milwaukee, Minnesota is no exception. The background to this film reveals the kind of indie aesthetic that infatuates people; there's no major money motive, a lot of hard work from a small cast, and on overall desire to create something stimulating. Indeed the attention to detail is a joy to watch; from meticulously planned shots (the director's commentary reveals stories of balancing cameras on piles of snow, filming reflections to look like insects and throwing talcum powder on actors) to cinematography changing as we enter the world of the protagonist about a quarter of the way in. As far as the story goes; it's a sensitive and honest portrayal of a sensitive and honest story. It's magical but believable, funny but dark and reminds you as any good indie should, that life is actually quite beautiful, tainted at the edges sure, dangerous sure, but ultimately there's things around you every day that are good enough without bombs, explosions and $100Million dollars in unmarked bills at stake.

Allan Mindell, making his film debut, takes us to a part of the country that seem to be in a permanent winter state. The screen play by Richard Murphy places the story in Milwaukee.

We are introduced to Albert, an autistic young man and his over protective mother, Edna. Albert is a champion ice fisher who seems to have a knack for winning tournaments that pay a lot of money. As it's the case with autistic persons, they might appear to be helpless in some areas, but they can be brilliant in others.

Albert has a problem: there are a few people who would love to steal his money! We first meet Tuey and her brother, white trash people from the South, who see a good scam whenever they find one. Tuey passes herself as a reporter interested in interviewing Albert. She is pathetic interviewer, but the young man is too gullible to see it.

Edna is killed in a hit and run accident that leaves Albert alone to fend for himself. In addition to Tuey, another low life character appears in the picture, Jerry, who claims he is Albert's real father. There is also a kind man, Sean McNally, who owns a store. Albert likes to make copies of 20 dollar bills in Sean's Xerox machine.

Tuey, at the end is the only decent person of the whole lot as she realizes the kindness of Albert in trying to help her brother Stan. Jerry, on the other hand is the one that actually seems to be the successful one in getting rich. In an ironic twist at the end, we see how Albert, the mentally challenged young man, gets the last laugh!

The director gets good performances of this multi talented cast. Best of all is Alison Folland as Tuey, who redeems herself at the end. Tom Garity also is charming as Albert who seems to inhabit his own world. Randy Quaid is perfect as the oily Jerry. Debra Monk and Bruce Dern are seen briefly as Edan and Sean.

Mr. Mindell will probably do well in the future as he shows he has a good understanding in what make these characters unique.

Rented this movie from blockbuster, hoping for something great. Being from Milwaukee and going to college in Minnesota, this seemed like a good idea. Wrong. Really cliché, with sub-par acting. Tried to make a lacking story artsy by adding a mentally challenged man and a whole lot of "color burn" filtering. The over-sugared, metallic tasting microwave caramel corn we made was better than this film. I'm no film expert, but as someone who feels she has a fairly intelligent head on her shoulders, I feel the following statement is legitimate: it was the worst movie I've seen since this morning's tape of Christmas, 1987. Negative 10 stars. I'd have voted that way, but sadly IMDb doesn't support the blatant soul crushing of filmmakers. Pity.

Although I have some difficulty with aspects of reviews of this film that I have read (where they posit that Albert has essentially turned the tables fully on all of his tormentors), I cannot disagree with what seems to be the consensus: that this is a film that has been put together with admirable care and dedication (witness the long gestation period from first buying of script to beginning shooting to ending shooting), with great results. Troy Garrity is great as the lead, and Bruce Dern was terrific as mr McNally, and with so little screen time at his disposal. Randy Quaid is good, but has the easiest job, I think. being slimy, with that tan, that jacket and that 'tache, was never going to be too hard. What is best about this film is that the cast is mostly unknown, (or in some cases forgotten about) at least in the UK, which allows you to concentrate on the narrative and the emotions of the piece. This is a natural bonus of being a small, indie film. But it also allows things like the closing shot of the fishermen walking across the snow, which lasts for such a long time. How would you get away with that in the mainstream ? The story is of a small-time con, set in a small town, generally a call for two or three big stars to act as trailer trash and show their comedic skills. Such movies always come off as fake and slightly condescending. None of the same is true here. This film feels honest and tender. Congratulations to all involved and to the NFT for bringing it to these shores.

Where to start ?

Maybe where the story of this movie ends, on a beautiful shot on the winter, above a frozen lake where Albert is going to fish.

All the people following him like as if he were a guide, where as he's following the sky to know where the fishes are...

The script was quite simple & could have been treated with all the lines of this kind of movie (the good, the bad) but Allan Mindel succeeded in shooting a movie that comes frm his heart & frm Troy Garity's heart. The characters all hve their strong personalities but they all love Albert like we all do now.

Arnaud frm the Jury Première that awarded Milwaukee, Minnesota as the best movie of the American Film Festival of Deauville 2003.