About.com Rating



I suspect that Paramount Pictures' "Elizabethtown" is likely to generate limited appeal and mixed reactions among Christian movie goers. Although the film's positive theme may attract the spiritually "in tune," it left me feeling unexpectedly disappointed. The plot explores one of life's most pivotal times of grief and loss, yet with little or no expressions of faith revealed anywhere in the entire film.


Synopsis:

• Genre: Romantic Comedy
• Release Date: October 14, 2005
• Rated: PG-13
• Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
• Director: Cameron Crowe
• Cast: Orlando Bloom (Drew Baylor), Kirsten Dunst (Claire), Susan Sarandon (Drew's mother), Alec Baldwin (Drew's boss), Bruce McGill (Bill Banyon), Judy Greer (Drew's sister), Jessica Biel (Ellen, Drew's girlfriend), Paul Schneider (Drew's cousin)
• Writer: Cameron Crowe
• Producers: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner and Cameron Crowe

Orlando Bloom (Legolas in "Lord of the Rings") plays Drew Baylor, a young sports shoe designer in the midst of a career meltdown. After eight years of pouring himself into a "make or break" project, the endeavor ends in complete failure, leaving Drew in a suicidal state of mind. On the very lowest day of his life, he receives the news that his father has died. While heading home to help his compulsively grief-stricken mother (Susan Sarandon), his journey begins. He meets the passionately positive, Claire, played by Kirsten Dunst, who changes Drew's life and, in my opinion, turns out to be the true shining star of this film.

Valuable Elements:

Drew Baylor learns from his utter failure, what he describes as his "fiasco," that "success is a god that the entire world serves," and this success has nothing to do with true greatness. Claire, who helps Drew on his journey, teaches him that failure is never as bad as it feels. "True greatness," she explains, "is having the courage to fail big and stick around." The career problems Drew faces are not worth the life and death value he has assigned to them. The film reminds us not to put off doing those things in life that are truly worthwhile, like spending time getting to know our family members.

I found Claire's character qualities to be the most redeeming of the film. Although she expresses no sense of faith, she is genuinely a good, loving, and giving soul. She comfortably embraces her mission in life to help other people. Claire unselfishly sacrifices to inspire Drew to discover the man he never really knew as father. By the end of the journey Drew realizes that those who risk are the ones who win, and that life demands that we take risks. The only failure is not getting back up and going on with life.

Negative Elements:

One unanswered question that plagued me throughout the film - if the shoe was such a horrible failure, why? Why did the success of the billion dollar project rest on one man's shoulders? I don't know, but I suspect I'm not the only curious one.

Not necessarily negative, but viewers should be aware of a funeral home scene where Drew sees his father's dead body, his first encounter with a corpse. Drew spends a lot of time looking at his father in the casket and then touches and embraces his father's hand.

Sexual Content:

Though no nudity, Claire is covered only in bubbles in a bathtub scene. In another, Claire accidentally swings up her skirt to reveal a quick peek at her underwear. She wears a low cut blouse, a low cut dress, and permits a brief look at her lingerie top. Drew and Claire spend a night alone in a hotel room. Though it is clearly implied that nothing sexual happens, Claire's new friends catch her leaving Drew's room and think something most definitely did happen. Drew's mother crudely describes an inappropriate embrace from her neighbor.

Violence:

None.

Language:

Viewers will hear several uses of the s-word, two instances of "h**l," one use of "a** kicking," and "sl*t," and two unnecessary uses of the f-word.
Drug and Alcohol:

Adults use alcohol and smoke at pre-wedding celebrations. Drew and Jessie drink liquor at Jessie's home. Drew drinks a few beers and attempts to sneak one from the bachelor party stash. Claire drinks a glass of wine and becomes quite tipsy.

Conclusion:

Writer-director Cameron Crowe draws from his own experience and the emotion he felt after the sudden passing of his father to inspire this motion picture. For Crowe, telling this story was an extremely personal and often emotional endeavor. But for viewers I sense the blending of tears and laughter will fall short of Crowe's intention. For a comedy built around the somber concepts of death and failure, it lacked the depth of emotion necessary to punctuate the humor. I laughed out loud only once, and never shed a tear.
The film has the potential to touch closely to our true life experiences of failure, loss, and unexpected love, but just misses the mark. Where were Drew's feelings of guilt, loss, thoughts about the afterlife, and questions of spirituality that losing a loved one will stir? He doesn't quite connect with these emotions, and though the film does give viewers plenty to ponder, I doubt it will lead anyone to truly come to terms with life and death, success and failure.