Le mouchoir jaune

Road trips in American film have often been flamboyant metaphors—Easy Rider and Thelma and Louise come quickly to mind. The Yellow Handkerchief will not be remembered so readily given its low-key, Southern slow delivery. Yet it has a subtle power to inform the Louisiana bayou landscape with meaning as three strangers embark by auto for destinations barely known.

Brett Hanson (William Hurt) has just been released from 6 years in prison for manslaughter. Ignorant of this fact is Martine (Kristen Stewart), a fifteen year-old runaway, who invites Brett to ride with her and Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), who is a stranger and a strange young man having the advantage of a convertible and enough cash for a trip that might end up in New Orleans.

Like a European film, Handkerchief takes it time to reveal character, meet a conflict and climax, and settle down to its title, which is unsubtly tied to the handkerchief and a pop tune about an ex-convict "comin' home." Hurt, one of America's finest actors, brings gravity and melancholy to a role that requires sorrow and redemption to ride along with hope. I hope he receives a well-deserved Oscar nod and the grand prize—think of Jeff Bridges' win for Crazy Heart, a more histrionic part than Hurt's understated torture.

While I'm still trying to warm up to Kristen Stewart as anything but a vampire lover of little acting range beyond a hesitating delivery, Maria Bello as May, Brett's love interest, is plain persuasive as the one who tries to understand and work with the eccentricities of Brett.

Of course, Katrina as family wrecker is quietly in the background, and because this is a story of the search for family, or "belonging to something," the hurricane informs every grasp for lost love as the vanished twin towers might do. If you want slow exposition that offers character development of the first order, then ride along with these three misfits to find a bit of yourself in the journey.

A perfect crescendo. During an admittedly slow first half of the film, the audience is drawn in to the actors and the cajun background, its lush greenery and its languid place in Americana.

The actors hold up brilliantly at this pace -- William Hurt is a standout and a more-than-worthwhile Oscar candidate as the sullen, "ghost"-like ex-con and Eddie Redmayne jumps to the fore as a bizarre, overgrown child. The scenery and the pull of post-Katrina New Orleans is powerful, forcing personal choices and sticking in the back of our minds.

Then, when the action turns, and the plot suddenly speeds forward for the latter half of the movie, the viewer has already been drawn so deep inside these rich, pained characters and the twisted swampland that its emotional force, punctuated by minute changes in Hurt's eyes, knowingly elicits empathy and sympathy.

The force of the movie is the slowness, the languid pace that draws the viewer in, and the acting, as good an ensemble as anything that I've viewed this year. It is slow, but slow can be good, good as a cajun conversation.

Great Love story, I like it when you Americans put a bunch of characters on a road trip. Classic!. This film takes you beyond the bitter part of life back into the sweet.

The music just blend in, the camera capture is somewhat 'spiritual'.

Simple movie, brought tears to my spirit's eyes. This one truly touches the heart. One great movie making!. Salute. The cast is perfect in their place.

People may shine only in a moment in their life. And that moment will shine forever in whosoever is touched by it. I almost give up on Hollywood, but this shows, you still can do it right!

Salute ^ ^

What starts out as what appears as just another road movie turns out to be three tales of inter generational angst. Brett Hanson is an ex convict that is on a mission to find his lost love. Martine is a 15 year old girl who is just discovering life,and Gordo is a 16 year old boy,who is kind of geeky,gawky & awkward around girls,but wants a girl friend in the worst way. When their lives intersect at a rest stop,the three hit the road,looking for their own adventures. Along the way, truths are revealed,tears are shed & (potential)friend ships are forged. William Hurt ('Kiss Of The Spider Woman','The Big Chill',and most recently,'End Game')is Brett,a man who tries to get by with few words as necessary,who carries a dark secret & has a mission in life. Maria Bello is his ex wife,May. Kristin Stewart (previously seen in 'Twilight',and 'New Moon',and soon to be seen as Joan Jett in 'The Runaways')is Martine,a girl who is looking for something better in life than what she's being offered,presently. Eddie Redmayne is Gordo, who first comes off as something of a jerk at first,but matures a little, (for his own good). India's own Udayan Prasad directs from a screenplay written by Erin Dignam,from a story by Pete Hamill. This is a slow moving film that has to work it's way into your system,but is worth the test of patients in the end. Rated PG-13 by the MPAA,this film contains brief sexual content,some rough language & brief outbursts of violence (but nothing bloody or gory)

THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF – CATCH IT ( B ) The best thing I loved about this movie was the Odd Characterization; William Hurt as Ex-Convict, Kristen Stewart as 15yrs old Confused Teen, Eddie Redmayne as the weird psycho nerdy dirty teen and Maria Bello as any other woman who gets tired of her life. A good attempt by the director and he made most out of the script. It keeps you intriguing and wondering what happened between Maria and William plus a weird relationship between Kristen and Eddie keeps you stuck with the story. Though I have felt at times it gets little slow but then again it paces up. Kristen Stewart looks damn gorgeous and acted well. Eddie Redmayne as a psychotic weird teen did a good job, another Britain import to look out for. William Hurt and Maria Bello are seasoned actors so obviously they were great. Overall a good movie about redemption & love.