Reviews (20)

Good movie.
When you first see Omri, a kid who's short, has messy hair and not the greatest teeth in the world, you don't think anything interesting can happen to him. But something does. His best friend, Patrick, gives him a toy Indian for his birthday. At his party, his brother gives him an old cupboard that he found in the crawlspace of their house. Omri's mother tells Omri that if he can find a key out of her collection, he can have it. He does. It was a key that his great-grandmother gave to his mother.
When Omri carelessly puts the toy Indian into the cupboard and locks it, the toy comes to life.
At first, the Indian (Little Bear) is scared, but eventually learns to trust Omri. Omri gives Little Bear whatever he desires, tools, food, and a hatchett from a knight! However, when he was getting a bow and arrow from an old Indian, the Indian is scared to death--literally! Omri realizes that these "Toys" have real lives and that they aren't something to fool around with. When Patrick discovers Omri's secret, he brings back a Cowboy named Boone. Little Bear and Boone eventually become friends. Omri takes Boone and Little Bear to school (Patrick wanted him to) and Omri displays that he has learned that the "toys" were people by saying "You can't! They're people! You can't use people!" When Patrick was going to show them to friends. Omri's brother takes Omri's cupbaord as a cruel joke and the key gets lost! What's worse, Boone is seriously wounded, and without medical attention, he will die! Omri realizes that Little Bear and Boone's safety and hapiness meant more to him than the novelty of having them. So Omri declares that when the key was found, they were sending Boone and Little Bear home.
The key is eventually found, and Omri is forced to let Little Bear and Boone go. Little Bear and Omri share one last moment, and then he sends them back.
This was a very good movie, at least fo me, and it's a good movie for kids to watch.

beautiful book, horrible movie
I remember rushing out to watch this movie when it first appeared in theaters, since I was an enormous fan of the Lyn Reed Banks books. Alass, this movie took what could have been a wonderful adaptation, and turned it into a dumbed-down pile of insipid script and mostly forced acting. When I first saw it, I loved everything about it and immediately fell in love with the boy playing Omri, but now, I realize that his acting is horrible, but it's not his fault. The script is below mediocre; it's pitifully babyish. Lyn Reed Banks's stories had a charm of old-fashioned nostalgia to them, not so with this film. It has been completely modernized, including a few curse words, a relocation to the US, and a total emphasis on stereotyping the characters and making as many comical gags at their expense as possible. I will admit that there are several very touching moments, and even a little educational value to this, since Litefoot plays his character perfectly, and Frank Oz did feel inclined to at least include a song and a few sundry bits of the Iroquois language here. But overall, I would recommend the books over this.

Misconceptions of First Nations Peoples
The white family portrayed in this movie is not a normal disfunctional family. The three brothers seldomly argue, the parents are in constant state of bliss with each other living in a beautiful big house in an urban city in the United States of America. This view is a complete opposite of what the First Nations Peoples family life is considered to be and sets up the notion that First Nations Peoples would be better of with the White man's lifetsyle.
The youngest child brings to life a traditional image of an Haudenusaunee toy, decked out in feathers, leather loin cloth and a shaved head, with a magical cupboard given to him by his brother for his birthday. The child's reaction to seeing the toy alive was, "are you a real Indian?" as if they were extinct like dinosaurs. Throughout the movie there is no encounter with a present day First Nations Peoples to balance the movie or to quash the idea of extinction. Once they aquaint each other and Little Bear explains that he is from 1761, he trustingly jumps into the child's hand as the music grows. So historically the White man was always nurturing to the indian, right? In another irony, the boy gives a plot of land. He took his mothers flower box for growing infant plants and even brought a tippi to life so as Little Bear could have a home.
The boy feels the need to educate himself on his new found pet and takes out books on the Iroquois, known officially as the Haudenusaunee (meaning "people of the long house") that are almost as old as Little Bear and are tainted with Eurocentric views on the Haudenusaunee. The name Iroquois came from their enemy, the Algonquin who called them the Iroqu, meaning "rattlesnakes." The French later added the suffix "-ois" to the previous name given by the Algonquin.
When the boy's friend catches on about the 'closet,' his friend puts in a cowboy and brings it to life. This ruff, alcoholic and his horse is fearless and starts yelling out "I'dien?" when he finds out about Little Bear. Once he sees him he starts screaming "Redskin" and the dialogue continues in the same vein, which would be considered unacceptable if the word was "nigger" and it was a clansman that came alive. This Cowboy and Indian brings up memories of the adults' childhoods that are watching the movie with their kids, not correcting their own misconceptions.

One of the best movies in the 90's
The Indian in the Cupboard stars Hal Scardino and Litefoot. It is about a boy who turns 9 years old and gets a magical cupboard as a birthday present. And the cupboard brings to life toys. As the movie opens, Omri (Hal Scardino) got a cupboard as a birthday present. But there is no key. So his mom (Linsay Crouse) promises Ormi if he finds a key that works the cupboard she will give it to him. And the key that works is a key that his mom got for her dying grandma (when her grandma had nothing to leave her). Ormi puts in a liitle indian he also got for his birthday for his best freind Patrick (Rishi Bhat).

My favorite movie
I was about 9 or 10 when this movie came out. I love everything about it. After I saw it I wanted a cupboard just like the one in the movie with a key and everything. I remember spending hours in the kicthen putting little figurines in the cupboards and seeing if they came alive or not. This is the best movie. I just wish it came in french. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Having apparently anointed himself the American cinema's poet ofdecadence, filmmaker Larry Clark follows his critically acclaimed Kids with yet another tour through the darker regions of American squalor. Another Day in Paradise--even the title screams of amateurish irony--may be powerfully acted by a fine cast of new and familiar faces, but how many times can we eavesdrop on the lives of murderous, self-destructive heroin junkie thieves before we just get morosely depressed? James Woods and Melanie Griffith are superb as a pair of surrogate parents to the young couple (Vincent Kartheiser, Natasha Gregson Wagner) whom they recruit as accomplices in a series of robberies and dangerous deals, but what exactly is the point of this overindulgent, gutter-mouthed, and ultimately sickening portrait of sickening people? Clark may be good at providing an authentic vision of America's ugly underbelly, but before this movie's half over you're likely to be screaming, "Enough already!" By the time Kartheiser's character has finally escaped from his dreadful "parents," it's clear that Clark has very little story to tell, and not much of it is really worth telling. As for why Woods's character gets such a kick out of saying "Boo-Yah!"--well, your guess is as good as ours. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Odette (Gaby Hoffman) gets kicked out of her coed school forplotting to lose her virginity (All I Wanna Do is set in 1963), her parents send her to Miss Godard's Preparatory School, an all-girls school that tries to instill independence in its students. Her roommates turn out to be the school's troublemakers--Verena (Kirsten Dunst), Tinka (Monica Keena), and their friends Tweety (Heather Matarazzo) and Momo (Merritt Weaver). Though Odette initially resists (not because she wants to stick to the rules, but because she hates the whole school so much she won't even join the rebels), she gradually becomes part of the rambunctious circle. Due to financial trouble, the school's trustees decide to merge with a nearby boys' academy, despite the furious protests of Miss Godard's headmistress (Lynn Redgrave). Verena echoes the headmistress's sentiments and launches an offensive of pranks to discredit the visiting boys, even though the struggle splits apart her own social group. Though All I Wanna Do is being marketed as a goofy romp, it walks a line between a coming-of-age comedy and a young feminist manifesto (as one might imagine from the movie's previous title, Strike!). It's a tricky combination, but writer-director Sarah Kernochan succeeds--she also wrote Impromptu, which similarly mixed tart yet sympathetic humor with subtle political commentary. The direction is tight and the script allows its heroines a surprising complexity. The cast of rising young stars, also featuring Rachael Leigh Cook, is superb throughout. Strongly recommended. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Great actresses, OK film
I had been looking forward to this film since August 1998 when I saw a little blurb about it in a teen magazine. I couldn't wait to see it in theaters. Unfortunately, it never arrived in theaters here in Portland, and I didn't get to see it until just recently, on video. I guess waiting that long made me have unrealistic expectations for this movie. I thought it would be the best movie EVER or something. It's not . . . but it's still pretty good. "All I Wanna Do" is the story of a group of girls at a prep school who try to keep the school from going co-ed. Heather Matarazzo and Rachel Leigh Cook are both hilarious in this film, and Kirsten Dunst shines, as usual. There's some sexual innuendo in here that probably isn't appropriate for anyone under 13, hence the PG-13 rating. And the movie is free of action, suspense, or really a lot of plot. Still, the film's young actors and actresses save the film and make it watchable and worthwhile. Some parts are funny, some will make you think. Not a bad movie at all.

YOU GO, GIRLS!
Interestingly, this movie takes place the same year that Betty Friedan wrote "The Feminine Mystique".
It begins in early 1963 when one Odette Sinclair, played by a rebellious but very charismatic Gaby Hoffman, is taken from her home in Michigan, horse in tow, to the Miss Godard's School for Girls in Connecticut by irate parents after she is caught planning a tryst with her boyfriend, Dennis (a still-slightly boyish Matthew Lawrence).
At first, she resents the change of atmosphere. But the solemn, tremulous girl soon finds companionship with a group of girls, who, although they can be antagonistic, encourage her to find other aspirations beyond having sex with her boyfriend. These include her two luminescent blonde roomates, the sexually mature Tinka,whose favorite colors to wear when she's out of uniform are red and black, and the ever-scheming Verena, deftly played by Monica Keena and Kirsten Dunst respectively.
Heather Matarazzo's bulimic Tweety is a rather weak-willed character, and Merrit Wever's Momo is strong and smart. Together, these girls form a secret organization called The Daughters of the American Ravioli, in which they pledge to help each other acheive their goals. One of the more immediate ones is to rid the school of their lecherous teacher Mr. Dewey, to whom his portrayer, Robert Bockstael, gives such understated underhandedness. At a time when sex crimes against students at the hands of teachers may have been underreported due to the fact that the teachers most likely would have gotten off, this makes an interesting subplot.
But 1963 was the beginning of the modern feminist movement, and these girls take matters into their own hands after the Board of Trustees threatens to merge the school with the St. Ambrose Boys Academy without giving the students any say in the matter. Using every non-violent rescource they have to gain the attention of authority figures, they ultimately help to bail their school out of the financial troubles that led to the decision to merge with the Boys' Academy, and we watch these girls assert themselves and find their voices in a way that might have been more unusual in 1963 than it would be today.
Lynn Redgrave leads the cast as the prudish but sympathetic headmistress of Miss Godard's with a very accurate New England accent (Notice how the statue of the school's foundress looks like her). What struck me about her appearance was mainly her outdated hairdo. The soft-spoken Abby Sawyer, portrayed by Rachel Leigh Cook, is the hall monitor and school legacy who takes a surpising(or perhaps not-so-surprising) turn. Rosemary Dunsmore is Abby's controlling and rather narrow-minded mother who, with her husband, serves on the Board of Trustees. Her role as Mrs. Sawyer is more than faintly reminiscent of her role in "Anne of Avonlea" in which she played another staff member at a girls' academy.
The party scene was fun to watch. It's interesting, though, how the only minority boy and the only minority boy and girl were paired off, which is how it most likely would have been done in 1963 to avoid complaints from the parents. The music is lively, the rowdy townies come in handy when it comes to putting the girls' tormentors in their place, the dresses and hairdos had a certain elegance and grace, and the cast members were talented and attractive, including the radiant Barbara Radecki and Phobe Lapine as Tinka's mom and sister.
Ultimately, this film is a bouncy 90-minute romp through the early modern feminist era which harmlessly pays homage to girl power.I feel upbeat and inspired after watching it!

Spectacular
This is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. I attended 6 years of all girl school and it reminded me of exactly why that experience was so valuable to me. I dislike Kirsten Dunst generally, but even she was amazing in this film. It's one that I will definatly own in the near future.

A New Perspective
This movie changed my view on all girl schools. I always thought they were unnecassary and stuffy. I now feel like they really are a useful tool for the empowerment of women. The charecters in the movie were more on the believable side. I found it an enjoyable and heartwarming film.

Great Movie, Espesially for Girls
I love this movie! I think it is so funny! Of course you'd really have to be a girl to understand that, but I am so that works out well. This movie is about a group of goofy girls at an all girls' school who don't want the boys intruding on their territory, and they'll do anything to keep it that way. First, I love it because it has Kirsten Dunst in it. I think that she is a great actress no matter what role she's in. The best part of this movie is, well...all of it! It is so funny! A must see! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Would Merging Pasts Thrill Someone? I say, yes.
'The Unsaid' is a distinct movie, in that it makes many different attempts in the name of alleviating suspense in a film. Psychology and the problems enhanced by its nature usually form the grounds of the plots of most American movies. This movie, is an addition. But, it goes beyond that state, by presenting a psychological quandary and developing on it until the end of the movie.

To be more specific, Andy Garcia plays the therapist, who has lost his son recently by his suicide. One of his fellows asks for help in a case of one of her patients, Vincent Kartheiser who comes out to have an extraordinary past. Having sworn not to deal with anymore patients, Garcia still cannot refrain himself from seeing and helping him. The fact that Andy hasn't been able to forget the pain of his son's loss will make Andy's therapy of Vincent very special, because after some time with him, Vincent will reminisce Andy's own son.

Moreover, in the course of the movie, what you think you know will be altered by the surprising revelations. Different pasts will merge with others. The movie will become a thrilling psychological tension. You definitely do not want to miss this movie, by any means. Nothing, but 'The Unsaid' will be on your mind for a long time, after you see the movie.

The Unsaid Says A Lot
The very best actors are primarily interested in expressing their talent and making a good movie. Andy Garcia and Al Pacino are two that come to mind. Both seem to work with their supporting cast to bring out the best in them. This is definitely the case in "The Unsaid" and it's wonderful to watch talented actors working together to make an entertaining movie. The movie has no shallow parts and deals with the subject of a child's suicide and the aftermath realistically. Sometimes it's hard to watch because you deeply feel the pain of the father played by Andy Garcia. It shows how suicide tears the family structure apart. The remaining sibling feels neglected by her father and each family member feels responsible for the death in some way. The father is a psychologist but cannot deal with his own pain. In this frame of mind, he starts treating a patient that has experienced the murder of his mother that is the same age as his dead son. Two wounded souls are given an opportunity to either face the truth and start healing or repress the truth and destroy themselves. Both have secrets and shame they are hiding. A touching movie with some wonderful acting.

Excellent
Speechless. Everything about this movie is excellent. Worth buying if you don't want to buy then rent.

A REAL SLEEPER!
PLEASE do not overlook this movie because it is not well known. A GREAT thriller with lots of twists! This one one of the best movies I have seen all year!

not your average thriller
When this movie begins, although the acting is very good, you think it is an average thriller. you expect Kartheiser will play mind games with Garcia but Garcia will finally manage to overcome it. The movie is much more true than that. The movie is very real, but yet it is a true thrill and a surprise and an interest at the same time. I highly recomend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Luke Wilson stars in this above-average thriller with complex morals. Bad Seed starts off with a bang, with an affair and two murders in the first 15 minutes. Preston, the wronged husband (Wilson), is soon on the run, with both the police and his wife's lover hot on his trail. Norman Reedus, while good as Preston's nemesis, is faintly miscast; he's so creepy that you never quite believe he could lure anyone into romance. Dennis Farina, on the other hand, gives an engaging performance as Dick, the private eye who takes on Preston's case. Bad Seed has a few dodgy plot points, but it is far more thoughtful than most movies of its genre. Preston is far from perfect and he wrestles with his flaws throughout the movie. Most interestingly, Bad Seed refuses to end when most thrillers would, taking a surprising amount of time and care with its denouement. Well worth a look. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (3)

DARK THRILLER
BAD SEED is one dark movie, complex and intriguing in its concept. Luke Wilson plays Preston Tilton, a man who discovers his wife is having an affair; after an argument, he comes home and finds her dead. Wilson is sure that her cast off lover, played by Norman Reedus, is the culprit. He finds out where Reedus lives, and after breaking in, is attacked and ends up killing the ex-lover. Wrong! He has killed the lover's retarded brother instead. Loverboy has a videotape of Wilson committing this murder, and from there, we are spun into a brooding and complex maze of mystery. Wilson does okay in the role, but there are key scenes where he seems to be struggling with his character; Reedus is almost too sleazy to be credible as a lover; but, and this is a big but..DENNIS FARINA steals the movie as PI Dick, who helps Wilson find out the truth. Farina brings a lot of passion and conviction to a role that could have been secondary. But as the movie winds down, Farina's performance is what keeps the movie floating. A no-compromise ending also makes this a different film.
Interesting and worth a view.

Good performances, interesting concept
The concept of this film deals with what a normal person would do under extreme circumstances. In this case what would you do if your spouse has an affair and is then murdered. Luke Wilson gives a nice performance as Preston husband of the murdered woman. He plays Preston as a well rounded character never too nice and never going too far over the top as to make it unbeleiveable. Denis Farina also gives a great performance and he and Wilson work well together. The best thing about this film is the relationship between Preston and Jonathan played by Norman Reedus. Both characters remain realistic throughout their extrodinary situations. This DVD is worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of Luke Wilson or, the director, Jon Bokenkamp. There is a very interesting and entertaining commentary track with Wilson and Bokenkamp as well as a production featurette and behind the scenes production photos. There is also a second commentary track with Bokenkamp and the producer, but I have yet to listen to it.

Making the best out of nothing
Highly simplistic storyline made into a damn good "B" movie! Preston's wife Emily has an affair with Jonathan and from there on, EVERYTHING goes wrong! At times, this movie has that "L.A. Confidential pulp-type" feel to it which make it quite right especially when Preston goes to visit a private investigator. He turns out to be, well, let's say, not too conventional in his techniques. A non-Hollywood ending which, of course, will give it that "flop" status. Could be better but I must commend Jon Bokenkamp on his efforts. Flick stars Luke Wilson, Norman Reedus, Dennis Farina & Mili Avital. Worth a watch! ... Read more

Description

Two teenagers journey into the Alaskan wilderness to rescue their father, a bush pilot whose plane has crashed. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

ALASKA
Thrilling mixed emotions is what you'll encounter after and while watching the Alaska a hit family film directed in 1996 by the famous director Fraser Heston. This movie not only has a strong family message but it is packed full of various emotions. The emotions range from totally down in the dumps sadness, example when a polar bear gets shot by pothers to thrilling happiness when the father is rescued. The real reason for watching this movie I think is a totally cute polar bear named Cubby. This young bear's mother is killed by pothers in the area; which I what I was talking about earlier. Cubby plays a major part helping two kids which named are 13 year old Jessie ( Thora Birch )and 15 year old Sean (Vincent Kartheiser ), find there missing father which disappeared during an emergency flight.

A good movie with great visuals
I can't believe that "Alaska" isn't getting better reviews than it is. A movie doesn't have to be one of the best ever to be a great movie. I thought it was a good all around movie. Two teens go on a search for their father after his plane crashes and the police show that they're not willing to search for him as much as the kids think they should be. Along the way, the kids run into poachers and they find a friendly polar bear that follows them the rest of the way trying to protect them. They have to find their father and then figure out a way to rescue him.

"Alaska" works well as a good adventure movie and it realistically shows family drama at the beginning of the movie. Surprisingly, parts of it such as when the kids are trying to save their dad, are even exciting. All the way through the movie you'll see spectacular scenery, which goes along great with the plot. Myself, I liked "Alaska" and I don't see why a lot of people don't like it that much, except for maybe that they're expecting too much from the movie. Just don't watch "Alaska" and expect it to be like a movie blockbuster, just watch it like it's a regular Tv movie, and you should like it pretty well. I recommend this movie for anybody.

Just plain silly without meaning to be.
The problems this movie faces are more daunting than the teenagers' search for their missing father; the plot is paper thin and equally transparent. That a self-centered and disfunctional family is suddenly cured of all their ills in this moment of crisis is patently false. Worse the movie doesn't instill any respect for the wilderness meaning that any impressionable child that watches might be misled as to the dangers of their activities. The fact that polar bears do not frequent high mountains strains what little crudulity remains, reinforced by terrible film editing which reveals the cub at the end rejoining a ploar bear family group which low and behold is somehow no longer in the mountains, but on coastal tundra. The scene, the lighting, and the film quality all demonstrate totally different animals and locations. Any film editor should have been able to do a better job of blending the clips, but it seems the maker of this movie thought those watching were even less informed than they were and just didn't care.

One of the worse films I have seen in ages. My kids even thought this was just plain silly. Those entralled with this movie must check their reasoning powers at the door, because for any thinking person, even kids, it is almost insultingly dumb.

Predictable and unbelievable at the same time
This movie tells the story of two young people, Jessie and Sean, who have moved to Alaska with their father after their mother's death. Jessie is making the best of the move, but Sean is very unhappy that he has been uprooted from his home in Chicago. When their father's plane crashes during what was to have been a routine flight, Jessie and Sean decide to rescue him. What follows is totally unbelievable, but there is some exciting action during the rescue and the scenery is spectacular. Mostly designed as a children's movie, the scenery is probably the best part for adults.

Almost a great kid's action movie
Overall, I really liked watching this movie with kids from 10-13 years old. The bear cub is a cute idea to keep younger children interested but not very believeable since polar bears don't live in the mountains. There is some character development as the boy, Sean, regrets mean things he said to his father and appreciates and uses the skills he has learned from him. There is a strong femaale, the sister, good to see in a kids' movie. The special effects are really quite well done.

I only have two real gripes. First is the needless swearing of the "bad guys". Lots of "dammit" all through the movie.

Second,the climax, where Cubby takes the end of the rope and supposedly saves the father, is a disappointment. Up until then Cubby has just been a distracting side bar. Just when we are engaged in the most exciting part of the movie and there is an opportunity for the children to really pull off a heroic deed, it is Cubby who grabs the tail of the rope and gnaws on it to save the dad.

The scenery is beautiful. There are wonderful shots of a glacier, kayaking on open water, canoeing on a river, and rock climbing that just make me want to hop a plane to Alaska. The writing and editing are well done. The characters are believable for the most part (it is a children's movie, after all).

There are a few other minor problems. The father is in the open on a snowy mountain for 3 days with no blanket but doesn't seem to suffer from hypothermia. The police give up the search way to early. And the kids don't leave a note or anything about where they are going when they take off for the Devil's Thumb Pass to find their father.

I think parents should watch this with their kids and point these things out as they watch the movie. This can be a good way to teach critical thinking.

This is an exciting, beautiful movie with something for everyone in the family. Have fun with it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chock full of strippers, gamblers, and wisecracking hit men, Luckytown is tailor-made for lovers of the Vegas movie. Kirsten Dunst plays Lidda, an 18-year-old who goes off to Sin City to find her long-lost father. Along the way she picks up Colonel, an old high school crush who just happens to dream of being a professional gambler. Soon her story begins to intertwine with that of Tony, a sleazy strip-club owner, and Jimmy, his oddly philosophical thug. Luckytown is well intentioned and has a few good moments, but the script never quite turns into the stew of immorality that it hopes to be. On the other hand, it does have James Caan playing the world's greatest poker player like the old pro that he is, and that's never a bad thing.--Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (3)

luckytown
it was a good movie but the parts with the old men are boring th eparts with vincent kartheiser are not an are hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jesus christ he is the hottest guy in the world an di say everyone is but the other day i realized how attractive he is and the others are just not as i dont kbnow not as attractive as him vincennt is perfect he has a perfect body wow!he is hott he is a good actor and he has a sexy voice wow this hardly has anything to do with the movie

Half-naked Kristen Dunst in a Vegas Romp? Why Not?
This moive was the biggest piece of trash and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT

I loved it in that guilty pleasure sort of way... in that 2 AM in the morning and you're looking for an excuse to stay awake kind of way... hoping against hope that Kirsten will finally take off her clothes, glory in her newfound abilities with the pole and dump her ... boyfriend.

I am disappointed to report, none of these things happen

However, Luis Guzman kicks some [butt]. A surly Robert Miano (Donnie Brasco) nails the [heck] out of some MAXIM covergirl. Kirsten does make a pretty decent stripper.

On the other hand, the direction in this movie is awful. The writer, Brenden Beseth, stumbles between Bukowski and illiteracy. The [person] who plays the lead should never be allowed to act (yeah right) again.

However, I liked the movie. So many films are unintentionally terrible, that this film is almost satisfying. It's not trying to elevate above the shoddy source material. It's not pretending to be anything that it's not...

Luckytwn is just A BLOODY VEGAS ROMP. A little film outclassed by its heavyweight movie stars...

a guilty pleasure to say the least....

Worth the Rental
This film was actually pretty good. It jumped a little and at times could apear to be two different movies but it pulled it off to where it didn't hurt the film. Vincent Kartheiser is the best thing about the film he gives a great performance as usual. Kirsten Dunst makes her character of Lidda a little less interesting than she could have been. And the meeting between her and her long lost father played by James Caan is somewhat dissapointing. But all in all it was a decent film and the best part of the story is the relationship between the characters played by Dunst and Kartheiser watching the relationship change is probably what makes this movie worth the rent. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This very loose update of Dostoyevsky will never gain the original's classic status, but on its own unseemly little terms it's an efficient genre flick. Trapped in a suburban Hell with an alcoholic stepfather (the always nasty Michael Ironside), suffering, molested high-schooler Rosanne (Monica Keena) begs her quarterback boyfriend (James DeBello) to help her bump him off. Things get complicated with the involvement of her weary mother (scrappy Ellen Barkin, still waiting for a decent role) and a sensitive, outsider classmate (Vincent Kartheiser). Larry Gross's script has Barkin's selfish character acting too much the idiot, though you won't hear a bad note from her or the rest of the appealing young cast (the invaluable Jeffrey Wright also has a nice bit as Barkin's lover). Even if director Rob Schmidt has too much of an MTV sensibility (showy cuts, booming soundtrack, etc.) and indulges himself with the gruesome murder, his glossy sensitivity to teen trauma redeems some of the pulp. The film can be seen in widescreen on DVD, as well as heard in French and Spanish. --Steve Wiecking ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A great cast and soundtrack equals a great movie
Like other people who have seen this film, I must admit that I rented it once and then bought a copy immediately afterwards. Supposedly based on Dostoyevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment" with a modern, suburban American setting, this film from director Rob Schmidt (Wrong Turn) is an enormously entertaining look at the plight of alienated youth. I know, I know; the idea of "alienated youth" is so ridiculous and so overdone these days that just referring to the phrase ought to elicit snorts of derision from the viewing public. What elevates "Crime + Punishment in Suburbia" above the usual fare in this genre is the great cast, how Schmidt organizes his film, and the grand soundtrack. Of course, the gorgeous Monica Keena in the lead role of Roseanne Skolnik certainly made my heart thump a few times. Yes, this movie is a teen drama, but it appeals even to an old fogy like me. There are a few flaws, especially the extremely loose association made with Dostoyevsky's novel, but they are few in number overall.

Roseanne Skolnik, on the surface, seems to have everything a young bubblehead could want in this world. She is beautiful, lives in a huge house, is extremely popular in school, and even dates a star member of the football team. Behind the face she presents to the public, however, Roseanne aches inside. Her alcoholic salesman stepfather, played with incredible range by the versatile Michael Ironsides, torments Roseanne and her mother every chance he gets. Skolnik's mother Maggie (Ellen Barkin) can barely contain her increasing sense of frustration as she attempts to navigate around her drunken husband. We learn about Roseanne's tortured private life through the eyes of social misfit Vincent (Vincent Kartheiser), a Goth type guy who has a major crush on Roseanne. Vincent follows her around wherever she goes taking dozens of photographs of his love, and he quickly realizes she is a fellow sufferer in desperate need of assistance.

Vincent stands back for the most part, though, because he recognizes that he must wait for Roseanne to freefall before he can help. Skolnik's destruction isn't long in coming after her stepfather commits an appalling act and Roseanne enlists the assistance of her boyfriend Jimmy (James DeBello) in order to seek bloody revenge against her tormentor. Horrible crimes, however justified they may be, often lead to unforeseen circumstances. This is exactly what happens when the police pin a murder charge on Maggie Skolnik, a prime suspect in the death of patriarch Skolnik because she had left her husband for another man shortly before the crime took place. Roseanne must confront her guilt and soon finds herself gravitating to the soothing influence of Vincent in order to assuage her conscience. A terrible choice must be made, and ultimately is, and the conclusion of the film deals with the aftermath of Roseanne's actions.

I simply adored the cast of this film. Monica Keena, who deserves as many accolades as possible, plays Roseanne quite well. It is interesting to see her physically change as the public humiliation caused by several family incidents turns her into a social pariah. Vincent Kartheiser plays his role a little too smoothly perhaps, as it is difficult to imagine a teenager having his life this together, but he also gets you to root for his character and hope that this odd looking kid wins over Roseanne in the end. Ellen Barkin really needs no description; she is always good in any role no matter how major or minor. Is it just me or is Barkin one of those women who get better looking the older they get? The real standout performance in "Crime + Punishment in Suburbia" is Michael Ironsides as the rapidly disintegrating Fred Skolnik. We usually see this actor playing the heavy in movies like "Scanners" and "Total Recall," but here he plays a different type of bad guy, one who Schmidt invests with enough contradictions to make the viewer sort of feel for the man. What he does to Roseanne is obviously beyond the pale, but the problems he faces in life and the difficulties he has with his wife should invoke some sympathy on the part of the audience. It helps that Ironsides possesses the chops to pull the role off. The only character I disliked was James DeBello's turn as the thickheaded Jimmy.

"Crime + Punishment in Suburbia" is a visually interesting film, centered as it is on several noticeable book like chapter breaks. There could have been less MTV style editing, a technique I think has been done to death over the past few years, although even I have to admit it works well here. A few scenes left me scratching my head, such as the "Triumph of the Will" type football pep rally; perhaps subsequent viewings will allow me to decipher what the significance of scenes like this mean. Fortunately, most difficulties in the film disappear due to the excellent characters and marvelous soundtrack. The DVD version of the movie offers a commentary with director Rob Schmidt and Michael Ironsides (no Monica Keena, regrettably) and both widescreen and fullscreen picture transfers. A final note: ignore the over the top box cover and just watch the movie. If you like fine performances, you will enjoy this movie.

A solid cast and story, destroyed by the pretentious styling
This movie is an example of how badly an interesting and solid story can be squandered due to a directors ridiculous excesses. The plot follows a teenage girl who is tormented by her family situation, and she commits a rather brutal crime and she eventually can't live with whats happened as a result of it, and she gives in. That's a rather generic plot outline, but I don't like giving away plot-lines in my review. I think a general outline should suffice. Rob Schmidt, the director, has decided to let his presence be known at every place he can, from the ridiculous chapter slides at the beginning of each section of the film, to the style of the film itself. It is so self-consciously arty, its like he can't let the story simply unfold. The voiceovers from the angelic faced stalker are the most troubling aspect, I hate voiceovers in general, but these are the most pretentious ones I have heard in a long time. Note to future filmmakers: NO PHILOSOPHY IN VOICEOVERS. The reason I give it three stars, is basically because of the acting. Monica Keena gives a very convincing performance, and shows that talent lurks underneath the very enticing exterior. Michael Ironside gives an outstanding performance as the abusive father, his spontaneous explosions of fury are very convincing. Ellen Barkin and others all flourish in supporting roles. This movie could have been great, very very easily. The story was there, but the Director had to become an artist at the expense of the film, which I think will turn a lot of people off.

What was so great about this movie?
With the exception of Michael Ironside (who played a very despisable character, brilliantly), this movie was a disappoinment. I'll admit the plot was pretty recycled at times. I actually thought that the ending was going to have a twist to it. Hell no. It ended, cut and dry. Kind of boring at times, no real thriller here. For a little bit, it had the feel of the movie "Wild Things." Don't ask me why. File this under department "POS."

Quite an enigma
There's no better way to put it, this film is an enigma, at least for me. At times it can be laughable because of how serious it takes itself and at other moments you get drawn into the obsessive tone of the film. It's hard to categorize this film when it simply wants to enjoy being anonymous and ellusive. The film would probably be a good cult movie if only it had a cult following. Though it could never live up to the competitors, including Donnie Darko (which had a better script, actors, and director).

Though being a very loose adaptation of the classic novel, it might draw people to enquire about the novel. I would hope that would be one of the outcomes of people viewing this film.

But if you're looking for a dark teen film watch Donnie Darko instead.

"Crime + Punishment" DVD Review
Rob Schmidt's modern day take on Dostoyevsky is a promising film that is so drowned in glossy imagery and bleak characters that it never seems to generate the type of interest in story-telling that it should. Monica Keena is the beautiful head cheerleader who seems to have the perfect life but in reality is trapped in a suburban nightmare. Vincent Kartheiser ("Another Day In Paradise") is the token bright but misunderstood outcast who lusts for Keena but can't find a way to her heart. When she murders her abusive stepfather with the help of her jock boyfriend, the evidence ends up pointing to her mother. This leads to a cycle of events that never seem to be captured with the level of drama or intesity that you'd expect. "Crime + Punishment" is as dark and devoid of energy as Larry Clark's "Kids" or Darren Aronofsky's "Requeim For A Dream" but it doesn't stand out the way they did. There are some solid perfomances from Keena and the always-dependable Michael Ironside as her drunken stepdad but none of the characters ever seem to stand out. While the story bares a passing resemblance to "American Beauty" in some areas, Schmidt never seems to move past his love for visual flare and give us any type of intriguing character moments. Keena's closing narrative makes for a good way to end the film but it seems like a case of "too little, too late" in my opinion. ... Read more