Elizabethtown REVIEW

Reader Comments

1. Donkee 10/14/2005 @ 4:52pm

   First review i have read where someone actully liked this? Might be worth seeing.

   however saying hes one of the only true auteurs working in the american film industry is a bit of a stretch as there are plenty if you take the Auteur theory into account. IE any Writer / Director that has ever made a personal film or has a distinctive style or consistant theme.

   An Auteur can be crap just like a non Auteur can be great. vice versa

   Uwe Bowl (not sure if this spelling is correct) is an Auteur…

2. mary 10/16/2005 @ 10:50am

   I thought this movie was extremely boring and pointless. I thought it would be a romantic movie but it was not. Orlnado Bloom although he is handsome did not do a very good job at acting in this film and should just stick to movies like the ones he did before. The scenes that are meant to be funny wasn’t for Orlando’s bad acting skills.

3. Sarah 10/16/2005 @ 9:22pm

   I thought this movie was really good. It not only had several scenes that were hilarious, but also had a few scenes that were sad. Towards the end where Drew (Orlando) is in his car and cries, made me cry so much (partly because I can relate to it). I love the story that goes along with it, it’s really heartwarming. I was impressed by the movie, and I can’t wait to see it again. I really don’t understand why some people say it’s not funny, because some of the scenes in there are so hilarious I couldn’t stop laughing even after it switched to a different scene. And of course, Orlando was beautiful to look at.

4. Eric 10/19/2005 @ 6:02pm

   I am a movie addict and keen student of film and writing, and I usually like Cameron Crowe’s work. And I like Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst, I think they are both good actors - usually. But this movie really surprised me because of how boring it was. I think they were going for something like ‘Lost In Translation’ which I loved, or ‘Garden State’. But I think it is really tricky to make a good film about a main character who ‘finds themselves’ while having a ‘fish out of water’ experience. I just didn’t find this story believable or compelling. And I thought the humor was just really strained. Sorry.

5. MondoCanuck 10/20/2005 @ 8:34pm

   I usually dig Cameron Crowe’s flicks because he really is great at bridging the typical studio film with a touch of a small budget feeling (kind of).. I hated this movie. I’m shocked that I hated it but it really was not compelling. KDunst is so not believable or likeable or interesting and held none of the things that Rene or Ione or Penelope or Kate Hudson did, for me. Orlando’s weak voice-overs made me not interested. Such a one dimensional actor-type. The thinly veiled Oregon shoe co that’s not NIKE but is NIKE (with big boss Phil no less) seemed so non-exciting and bland ... a sweeping ‘who cares’ rushed over me in the theatre. I remember thinking “Cameron relies way too much on the “dude, get ready for greatness&” theme in his movies&” .. Almost every flick has the strong leech-type girlfriend with the alterior motives that are not pure (think John Travola’s wife and Jessy Beil’s characters). There’s also that “dude, get ready for greatness&” vibe. His flicks have that moment when a rocker-dude type is going to say “dude - enjoy the ride and get ready for greatness&” and it’s like a pivitol moment for the ‘fish outta H20’ main character who realizes that maybe there’s more to everything - that maybe he’s great. Further, Cameron Crowe movies always have that “loveletter to the resilient life force&” or “love letter to the music&” or “love letter to the quan&” - show me the money!! I’d always bought into it in the past - but ETown - I couldn’t. Fake, contrived, imposter, not even close to Billy Wilder stuff. C’mon the roadtrip with the heavy-duty multi-media music/pamphlet kit that truly made me lurch and almost hurl chunks.. Argggg.. Why’dhedoit?Why’dhedothatawfullyfakeandunwonderfulscene? Why did Drew’s mom have to tapdance? And why did Claire have a work meeting to go to when she was supposed to be in Hawaii? I asked myself these q’s while sitting in the Collosus Famous Players theatre in the Greater Vancouver area because I was disappointed in C.C - my high hopes for greatness were dashed - A FIASCO I THOUGHT. Oh well… better luck next time C.C.! Still yer biggest fan north of the 49th!! MondoCanuck

6. Steve 10/22/2005 @ 5:33pm

   Thanks for your nuanced review of the film. I “get&” the romantic comedy references, but i’d put it in the semi-psychedelic, southern, comedic, fantastic-realism file, along with, well, uh . . . well . . . nothing else. Self-indulgent? Well, OK. Let it be. And let life, death, Maker’s, love, and music rock.

7. Rodney 10/22/2005 @ 8:21pm

   well, there’s two hours of my life i won’t being getting back. i too, like previous reviewers, had high hopes for “E-town&”. unfortunately, CC tries to do way too many things with too little of a movie. is this movie a ‘realizing there’s more to life than work&” movie or is it a ‘take it all in stride’ movie or is it a ‘fish out of water’ movie? i don’t think it knows. many of the supposedly humorous parts were only laughable because of their pitiful and failed attempts at being funny. many scenes were just not believable. i mean really, a widow is not going to get on stage and rant the way SS does. and the supposedly sage advise from the wiser than thou country bumpkin KD got old real fast. where does all of this wisdom come from? since when does being a cute hicky chick make you so enlightened. the only redeemable thing about this movie was the soundtrack, but even that seems all too contrived. if CC wanted to give us a glimpse of what is his favorite music, then he should have just made a two hour long music video. but looping cool music over a bunch of crap doesn’t make that crap stink any less. overall, E-town was a waste of time and $9. do yourself a favor the next time you want to see a ‘dealing with a loved one’s death’ sentimental movie and go rent “Stealing Home&” or “Big Fish&”...both much better films that actually have a point.

8. Stephen 10/23/2005 @ 2:32pm

   I really liked this movie. It’s funky and non-formulaic with the feel of an independent film. The characters and the acting are fine. I cared about the characters in the romance, and their careful attempts to get together, and their realistic reactions to perceived rejection. It’s a “slice of life&” story, but with a beginning and an end. It’s not an epic like Gone With The Wind, but maybe better than that.

9. Melissa 10/23/2005 @ 5:33pm

   WOW ... I am so completely shocked to see so many negative comments. Personally, I loved the movie. And I would like to just state for the record, ORLANDO is the SEX! Aside from that, I love the characters and thought they came across wonderfully. The movie did have many different elements, but so did the characters. How boring to watch a one dimentional character. It was a nice process to watch Drew come to accept “who he is&” and how to deal with the loss of his father.

   Bottom line for me, do we really know are parents? It was so heartwarming to see that discovery. Looking at your parent as a friend, relative, citizen etc.

   The soundtrack was wonderful as well.

   Anyway, I totally loved the movie and can’t wait to see it again.

10. Jude 10/24/2005 @ 12:37pm

    Maybe because of where I am in my life right now, I found myself loving this moving and the message that it brought with it. It’s never to late to connect. I too had read all of the negative publicity, but decided to see it anyway. So glad that I did. Being from a small southern town, I found the characters very believable and endearing. The story had many layers that for me were thought provoking, touching and humorous. If you haven’t seen it, take a chance—it’s worth it.

11. Belinda 10/29/2005 @ 5:59pm

    I, too, loved this movie. It touched my heart with its realism. As he has so often shown, Crowe again has demonstrated that life is indeed funny, even at it’s most painful moments.  I think it’s really sad that so many people have behaved like lemmings who can’t see anything for themselves and have to be told what to think about this movie by the “almighty&” self-important critics who were apparently still too hung over from their last major computer generated sci-fi thriller to recognize an honestly great story with good acting for a change.

12. jennie 10/31/2005 @ 3:24pm

    I’m surprised it had two thumbs up. I thought maybe Roger the one who likes boring films would give it a thumb up but Ebert? Unbelievable. A pointless film. You can just rent it. But I advise you to not go watch it in theaters. I didn’t even finish watching it the movie. I just got up and left. While I was there I was fidgeting alot. Well the film was unromantic. Camerone Crowe could’ve done a better job.

13. Judith 11/05/2005 @ 6:20pm

    I really enjoyed it. Yes, I think it was self-indulgent, but it also makes you think about where you are in life, and what really matters. I thought it was great that there were so many emotions in the movie, and that the audience could laugh about it. It reminded me that it’s ok to feel the way you feel - to grieve, to laugh, to be angry. And I loved the “romance&” between Drew and Clare, and how they could speak their minds to each other. Because the movie was so much like real life, I found the movie both refreshing and enoyable.

14. davs 11/06/2005 @ 4:23pm

    boring and pointless, if you want to get yourself into the i’d rather die than be sitting here mood, go watch it.

15. Kim 11/08/2005 @ 10:36pm

    It was a choice between ‘Elizabethtown’ and ‘In Her Shoes’. I chose ‘Elizabethtown’. Shoulda saw the latter.

16. rocketstar 11/15/2005 @ 6:56pm

    People who didn’t like this movie are missing the point. I guess you have to have experienced things like love, loss and family to really relate to it (hey, some people haven’t). I think this movie is really about people - not Americans (which is what I love about this movie), not Southerners, not whatever, just PEOPLE, their lives, loves, hopes, and families. I also love that this movie wasn’t about America - well it was, but it’s not about America the political entity; rather, it’s about America, the home to the people who live there. This movie must have been made with so much love. It’s a loving tribute to everything that makes us human. What amazed me about this movie was that it could have been set anywhere in the world - Australia (where I live), China (where I was born), Japan (where I want to go) - anywhere in the world where people get together and laugh, have fun and celebrate the joy of family and friendship. On a personal level, this movie has been a miracle. I’d recently broken up with my boyfriend but after seeing this movie I realised that life could be beautiful and full of joy, and I wanted to share my life with him. And now we’re back together, thanks to this brilliant piece of filmmaking. Thank you, Elizabethtown.
    -----

Post Your Comments

• Next Entry
• Previous Entry