Land Ho!

I took the title of this review from the 1976 Jethro Tull album, which is an appropriate time period for this movie because Mitch and Collin, the two main characters in this movie, appear to be either pushing 70 or in their 70s like many boomers. Mitch was a doctor. Collin was a bank manager. Neither is working any longer. Both are now divorced. And alone. The two were married to a pair of sisters, which makes them ex-brothers-in-law but more important, old friends. It's giving nothing away to tell you that the movie spends five minutes in Kentucky and the rest of the time in Iceland.

This is a road trip movie that follows a set pattern. It starts sort of rocky, gets into a swing, there's a trumped up moment that drives the characters apart, then there's resolution. It seems like every road trip movie is written this way. Only the surprises differ. In this movie, there's a third main character that never speaks. It's the incredible geography of Iceland, which Mitch and Collin explore throughout the movie.

This is an enjoyable film, which looks lightly at some of the issues associated with growing older that many baby boomers just like Mitch and Collin face today. See the world through Mitch's and Collin's eyes and you'll feel a bit better about the journey. Better yet, buy two first-class tickets to Iceland like they did.

At the risk of sounding like a codger who needs an Icelandic trip with a bud, I found Land Ho! underwhelming. The barren but beautiful Icelandic landscape is lovely to see, and the girls in hot springs are, well, hot, but the two ancient mariners, Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) and Colin (Paul Eenhorn), have little enough wit to sustain an entire journey, much less a full film.

Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson), the wealthy surgeon, pays for the trip with his retired buddy, Colin (Paul Eenhoorn), that hits the popular spots, introduces them to some nice chicks with whom they have dinner, and lets them enjoy weed without conscience. As an elderly couple on the verge of existential renewal, Mitch is lively with a charming sense of humor and joie de vivre; Colin mostly broods about his divorce and lack of money. Except for a moment or two of philosophizing, it's small talk peppered with a few allusions to movies. So much for the realism, admirable but dull.

Coincidentally, I recently saw Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in The Trip to Italy, in which the two have a hilarious time impersonating actors and bandying about references to Byron and Shelley. Of course, even those travelers could not be that bright without rehearsal, even as natively-witted as they are. The joy I had was in the smart repartee and exhausting energy.

In Land Ho! co-directors Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens spark up the proceedings with some peppy '80's or 8o's-like music ( e.g., Big Country and Monster Party), which works well against the ancient landscape and men.

Land Ho!, however, moves at an old man's pace. The good thing for me is I'm able to recommend the film to my buddy, Keith, who is hot on our taking a trip to Iceland. Full disclosure: London is my favorite place on earth; Iceland would not rank.

It made me laugh, it made me cringe.

But I KNOW people like the characters in this movie, warts and all and that's why I found the film so appealing--in real life, not everyone speaks in complete sentences, or has a clever retort; sometimes, people are clumsy and there are awkward pauses--and there's plenty of that in this film. That might drive some people nuts, but I found it to be a feature, not a bug.

The scenes of Iceland were breathtaking, it was like a travelogue in some respects, but (I keep coming back to this) I liked the dialogue; it seemed very unscripted, the way that real people talk. The conversations between the American and Australian ex-brothers in law were hilarious at times and annoying at other times, and poignant, still, at others, and the work just seemed more like a goofy reality-type documentary than a film.

It will most assuredly NOT be to everyone's taste--it is a weird film, one feels almost like a voyeur watching it, but I found it a good use of my time.

If your tastes are a bit oddball, you will get a kick out of this film--let it unroll at its own pace, ya can't force it...!

Two aging ex-brothers in law - the extroverted, lovable and slightly embarrassing Mitch, and the more introverted, sad-sack Colin take off for a getaway to Iceland. Their adventures are low key and episodic, but the comic rapport between the two men makes it hard to stop smiling.

There's no big catharsis or lesson learned, no moment when the smiles turn to tears, nothing that screams 'important movie'. Just an enjoyable hour and a half spent with two eccentric old guys finding themselves and each other on the road in a strange place.

The film looks very nice for it's tiny budget, and the two lead performances by Earl Lynn Nelson (a surgeon in real life) and Paul Eenhoorn (an accomplished Australian actor) create a fun naturalism that feels as authentic as if it was all improvised, with us just listening in on these two quite lovable older men.

Greetings again from the darkness. Extra credit goes to the writer/director team of Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz for their indie spirit and unique character-driven adventure - a rare Iceland based comedy. The former Film School classmates bring color of personality and color of terrain to the forefront.

Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) and Colin (Paul Eenhoorn) are former brothers-in-law, once married to sisters. The polar opposites are each battling loneliness and aging, and Mitch (the gregarious one) basically forces Colin (the reserved one) into a spontaneous vacation with him to Iceland. After this, we watch what amounts to a an AARP Road Trip Buddy film.

Mitch's bravura masks his loss of purpose and fear of mortality, while Colin mostly just shakes his head at each vulgar thought spoken without filter by Mitch. Despite the obvious differences in personality, the two come across as real guys soaking up the adventure. While Colin enjoys his solo hike that ends with a dip in the hot springs, Mitch sips his scotch while pestering a honeymooning couple (one of which is played by well known cinematographer Ben Kasulke) with questions about their private time in the room. He means no harm, he just thrives on fun ... whether it's his or someone else's.

Mitch and Colin have a definite on screen connection, and what makes this fascinating is that while Paul Eenhoorn is an established Australian actor, Earl Lynn Nelson is a real life retired surgeon who has only recently begun acting. Mr. Nelson's comfort in front of the camera is obvious whether he is telling his much younger cousin she has a "hot ass", or toking on weed at the hotel. Many long time actors would have struggled in this role, but Nelson ... while not always likable, leaves no doubt about his search for fun.

Other than the two lead actors, the landscape of Iceland is a key to the look and feel of the film. The panoramas are beautifully filmed, and if somehow a few people actually see the film, it would not be surprising is Iceland tourism spikes. Though the film offers no life lessons, and offers little in defense of "getting old sucks", this little senior citizen character study is a worthy entry into the "gray cinema" genre.