Lost Junction

Knowing nothing more about this movie than the blurb on the back, the wife and I decided to check it out. Many times when we've done this we've wound up with something that leaves us wondering what the folks who coughed up a couple of million to make a picture were drinking (or smoking). Not this time. Lost Junction is a little gem - thoroughly weird and truly entertaining - and a better movie by far than many of the big name/big budget movies we've seen lately. Infused throughout with an off-center take on reality, the film uses this skewed point of view to provide both poignant and humorous moments woven throughout a uniquely goofy storyline. When Jimmy hauls the bag out of the lake and the sheriff comments on its contents, we both started laughing so hard we were nearly in tears. His line will go down in our all-time movie favorites right alongside Marie Dressler's double take at Jean Harlow at the end of Dinner at Eight. But that's just us. If you're cruising the video store and having a hard time finding anything that looks interesting, by all means pick up this sleeper and enjoy!

Really, just what can you say about a movie that has a gal who's driving around with her husband's dead body in the trunk, a drifter who pushed his best friend off a cliff crippling him for life (the best friend is one of the characters too), a no-goodnik trying to make off with a batch of money he's got no right to, and a batch of yokel law enforcers? Well, I gave it a mediocre rating because I can't say it's really good...it sort of wanders all around the place in no hurry to get to where it's going. On the other hand, I can't say it's bad because there was never a place where I wanted to stop watching it.

So really, I think you should see it. Neve Campbell is good as Missy as is Billy Burke as Jimmy.

The bottom line is that I can't rate it high nor can I rate it low, but I can't say it's mediocre either. I really think you should see it.

And if anybody gives this review a helpful rating, I shall be shocked!

Well, let's see... this movie is a little weird. I think it must not be judged from a logical and factual point of view. Movies are art... they are good if they make you feel or think what they intended to. And this movie made me feel Good! The film is about a man trying to escape his past and a strange and mysterious young woman of a small town. He meets her when his car breaks down on the road and the woman offers him help. The movie includes a supposed murder that don't get clear until the end. As the film progresses, events that led the young women to be as she is, are discovered. Drama, mystery and romance, presented with innocence... as if you were telling a story. Nice.

Although 'Lost Junction' is not going to win an Oscar, it's a very entertaining movie, which is the first gauge I always go by. The characters are very believable, although the character development does not go that deep. The main characters play well off of each other, and everything slowly escalates until the last act, where relationships are strained and it's anybody's guess how it will turn out. It's a unique romantic comedy as it does not go down the comedy road so far as to make the romance unbelievable. In fact, I would go so far as to say it's a light drama with some really funny parts to it. 'Lost Junction' is a great curl-up-on-the-couch and eat popcorn movie. It's editing is well-paced, and the cinematic style is interesting. The twist at the end has you going, but it too is believable.

To me, this film shows how great acting talent can save an otherwise hum-drum plot and story. Not that the story, itself, was bad. It was just not anything enthralling. What I liked most was seeing Neve act as a Southern Belle. Billy Burke played well off of Neve's strong presence. And Jake Busey... well, he just stole that letter quarter of this movie. I'd watch this movie again, just because I think the trio did really well. Though, I have to admit: Even if Neve wasn't a very good actress, all she'd have to do is smile and I wouldn't even notice if she was terrible. However, I've asked many people -friends and strangers, alike- and we all seem to agree that she is VERY talented. So, for once, my bias is on the money.

She even helped assure that I wasn't totally disgusted with 'When Will I Be Loved'. That's a major feat!