Arcadia

A superbly acted and involving film that shows what great cinema can achieve when the writer-director at the helm has true vision. The story of 'Arcadia' is centred on a classic American family road trip, and anyone who's travelled with their siblings and parents on a long journey will recognise the authentic detail that forms the fabric of this film. But the director creates and builds a sense of tension from the opening scenes up to the finale, such that one feels completely involved with the characters - as we see ourselves and family shine through them. John Hawkes is engrossing as ever, and the actors that play his kids more than hold their own - this is their movie. Every moment reads truthful, every scene takes you deeper into the story. One can only wish for more feature films of this calibre.

I have been wanting to see Arcadia for some time, and with its recent reappearance on Amazon Prime, I was able to finally view it. I liked it, but it lacked. This is the type of indie-film that could rock one's smaller screen with its understated power and economy of dialogue and action. In movies such as this, the context and the subtext - what is not spoken - is what (could/should) drive the movie. Coming to mind - although it's been a while since I've seen it - is SHORT TERM 12, about a couple who works at a house for at-risk teens. The tone and the ambition of Arcadia seemed to strive for that elegance, but there wasn't much more than met the eye. The primary narrative device of questioning the father's (John Hawkes) motives was thin, instead of rich, and the growing pains and coming of age of Greta (Ryan Simpkins) was described more through plot more than confusion or grappling.

I liked it. There was the possibility of love. Not a must-see and preferable to watch if/when one is in the mood for a contemplative picture (even though this didn't inspire too much contemplation).

Awesome parents are a Blessing. Not a given. Never is this more painfully ap"parent" then in the curious coming of age film "Arcadia".

John Hawkes is both compelling and pitiable as a dad who drives his three children west cross country in a beat-up station wagon to a new life in sunny southern California. He assures the youngsters that everything is going to be great in their new home. Trouble is they are leaving mom behind for ambiguous reasons that are only gradually revealed as this sad story unfolds. There is no definitive time table for her to join the rest of the family. And the kids are not all right with that.

The takeaway from "Arcadia" may best be expressed thusly: So often times the best a mother and father can do isn't exactly going to earn them consideration for "Parents of the Year". Still, these women and men love and care about their sons and daughters. And they are doing the best that they can do. The hope is that their progeny understand and embrace this.

And in so doing, they themselves won't have to grow up much too soon.

A harried dad in New England stuffs his three kids into the station wagon and sets off for Arcadia (not the mythical land of peace and plenty; it's a suburb of LA), leaving behind a far from empty house, a frantic golden retriever and, presumably, Mom. Dad's story keeps changing—Mom will be waiting for them when they get there; she'll join them a few weeks later—and his mood oscillates wildly from long-car-trip goofiness (group singalongs of the "Rawhide" theme) to road-rage hostility. John Hawkes has been specializing for a couple of years in playing the shaky dad or the suspect authority figure, and he doesn't let us down this time; the storyline focuses on younger daughter Greta, a dreamy, disaffected girl on the cusp of adolescence who misses her dog and still carries around a ratty old stuffed rabbit. Surefooted w/d Olivia Silver shows us this shabby, chaotic new adult world through Greta's eyes. I wasn't sure she could sustain the fragile tone all the way through, but the ending, though it leaves unanswered questions, is perfectly satisfying. Veteran child actor Ryan Simpkins gives a fine, subtle performance as Greta. Making Dad a cranky libertarian may seem like pandering at first, but it pays off in a crucial scene later on. Long story short—this is one of those unheralded indie films like "C.O.G.," "Prince Avalanche" and "The New Year" (all available on streaming Netflix) that's really worth watching.

As always, John Hawkes is impressive as the tense, complex patriarch in this story of a broken family's road trip from New England to their new life in California. However it's Ryan Simpkin's film, and we see the film through her character Greta's watchful and sensitive eyes. Ty Simpkins, Ryan's real life brother also gives a sweet, funny and touching performance as her brother in the film. The two actors have a great dynamic and I hope we get to see more of these two together in future films. I found this film to be quietly moving and subtly powerful. The director, Olivia Silver, has a light and sensitive touch, and she makes the viewer feel as though she's simply let the actors naturally play their stories out. I'll be keeping a watch out for more of her films to come.