Off the Map

This is one of those films you can really lose yourself in. A woman is reminiscing about a time in the early seventies when she was 12 years old and her father was struck down with a bad dose of depression. First thing you notice is the amazing colours of New Mexico, the photography is stunning. Then there's the acting by Joan Allen, Sam Elliott and especially Valentina de Angelis which is sublime. The story is simple but heartbreaking and ocassionally very funny. When the film ends, like waking up after a beautiful dream, you'll long to keep that magical feeling for as long as possible. Not to be missed! (9/10)

Worth watching, plain and simple.

I was torn somewhat between the precocious kid and the depressed dad. It was a little too much and yet the simple beauty of the New Mexico landscape offset their performance. A tighter conflict would have helped the pacing.

Everything seemed to balance itself out though, and most should find something to like about this movie.

I adore Joan Allen. She is built like a leading lady, looks, walks and talks like a leading lady yet is a great character actor as proved here. I had to look a little close to recognize her and I love that in great acting talent.

Sam Elliott, a veritable man's man, held steady. I think his effort was commendable though having been around persons afflicted with various types of depression, his seemed a bit vague, and uneven. It was like a functioning catatonia with bouts of chattering. I didn't get it. Since his mental illness was,in essence, the spine of the story, the spine was a bit bent. Still,handsome Sam is still watchable and worthy of our respect as he does not seem uncomfortable with his gray hairs or his wrinkles. Very anti-Hollywood.

Of the ensemble cast, I really enjoyed J.K. Simmons. Simmons who seems to have put most of the food on the table career-wise by playing nasties (especially in OZ) as well as disaffected authority figures, was refreshing as George, an everyman with a simpleness that was most enjoyable.

In closing, I think I would have liked the movie better if they had given proper treatment to the depressive issues affecting Charlie, Sam Elliott's character. Mental illness advocates might agree.

Still it was a bit like Walden Pond, New Mexico with more people.

Again, my criticisms aside, there is plenty to like about this. It's worth the time to watch this movie.

When a married Arlene Groden (Joan Allen) tells her house guest, William Gibbs (Jim True-Frost), that although it's nice he's expressed his love for her, it can be accounted for by the power of New Mexico, I knew I would express my love for this understated, eccentric, and satisfying film. While the two male heroes, Gibbs and Arlene's husband, Charley (Sam Neill), are both depressed in the clinical sense, the film is not about depression but rather the forces of devotion and simplicity that keep these retro-hippies functioning in a remote world somewhere around Santa Fe, Taos, and El Paso.

Narrator Bo Groden (as adult, Amy Brenneman and as 12 year old, Valentina de Angelis) reminisces as an adult in voice-over about that 6 months of her father's immobilizing depression in the seventies and her own freedom in that pristine land where she could hunt, plink, and create without restriction. Bo is not a wild child but rather a home-schooled, precociously sensitive pre-teen who plans to leave here as soon as possible while she regularly receives gift packages from manufacturers whom she has threatened to sue over allegedly contaminated products. Her nonchalant but effective treatment of her father in his funks is one of the many acts that assure us she is quite capable of surviving anywhere. Director Campbell Scott's determination not to fill us with back stories on all the characters makes for an energetic exploration of the way they are at this time.

Gibbs, who came from the IRS to audit the family, stays 8 years, long enough to paint New Mexican landscapes of note. His friendship with Charley is true and good, despite that fact that Charley probably knows Gibbs loves Arlene. Charley asks him, "Ever been depressed?" William replies, "I've never not been." Out of his passion for the landscape comes his sanity and a renewed interest in life that he seemed to have lost with the suicide of his mother, for which he feels responsible.

"I am a damn crying machine," Charley says. You may end up crying as well, but only because not enough movies like this are made where insights into humanity are as abundant as the Groden's garden and their four years' supply of homemade canned goods. Lafcadio Hearn could have been describing the Grodens when he said, "It is only in the home-relations that people are true enough to each other, --and show what human nature is, the beauty of it, the divinity of it."

I saw this film at the High Falls Film Festival in Rochester NY, and had the pleasure of speaking with many of the people involved in this production. I have to say that this is one of the best films I have seen in a while. It's REAL... with a tranquil quality.. but REAL in a way that we can all see and relate to these characters in some way. It is a "slow" film... but that's what makes it so AMAZING.... it sucks you into these peoples lives... not just the girl.. but those surrounding her. I would love to see more films made like this. Cudos to Camble Scott for such great direction and Joan Ackermann for writing such a beautiful play.. that is now on the BIG SCREEN!!

Please, go see this film.. it takes you on an amazing ride.. BUT.. understand... that this is not an action flick... it is REAL... almost gritty and dreamy... one minute you will be laughing.. and seconds later your laugh will abruptly stop and tears may come to your eyes.. then.. back to laughter!!

I highly recommend this film!!!

In the mid 90's I had the privilege of seeing Joan Ackerman's original play,"Off The Map" at Mixed Company,in Gt.Barrington,Ma,In the Berkshires-where it was originally produced and performed-the play was beautiful,powerful and I fell in love with it.

This past Sunday-there was a special Fund Raising screening of "Off the Map" which I attended-with a Q&A with Joan and director Campbell Scott,afterword.The film blew me away!! Absolutely Stunning!! I came out of the theatre,feeling like I had been hit with something big-not sure what! The film is extremely faithful to the play-and really packs an emotional wallop to the soul-I couldn't have been more pleased with the cast-Top notch all around,with Sam Elliot playing against type-Joan Allen makes the perfect Arlene,and the girl,Valentina de Angelis was absolutely perfect as young Bo-as was the rest of the cast,J.K Simmons,Jim True-Frost- I am still stunned by this film,and am really looking forward to seeing it again,and owning it on DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!