cg 11/05San Francisco 11/13/02 (1/5th page) AD page 52 Review page 54 SF Weekly Review (11/13/02)Reunion: A showcase for a multitude of terrific but relatively unknown actors, this eminently likable ensemble piece follows seven individuals convening in Ojai for the 20th high school reunion (although, this being Southern California, none of the characters look his or her age).
Brad (Billy Wirth) was the most popular guy in class; now he drives the 19 Polk through our fine town. Successful photojournalist Jeanie (Jennifer Rubin) also moved here, fleeing an ugly-duckling adolescence. Ty (Corey Glover) made it as a musician, whereas party-girl Margaret (Marlene Forte) grew up to be town mayor. A lovely amalgam of up-close character sketches, Reunion was made in accordance with the Dogme95 "Vows of Chastity." (Rule No. 3: The camera must be handheld. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted.)
Praise God, here's one indie that doesn't aspire to be an ultra-polished calling card from the next Chris Columbus. The pleasure here is in deducing the clues to what's really happening in each character's life dropped by Kimberly Shane O'Hara's deft screenplay and Leif Tilden's precise direction. (For example, we're introduced to a retuning military officer when he ofers his coat to a boy, signaling the end of the relationship with the Army.)
As a modest glimpse of a couple of days in the lives of adults who are still defining adulthood, Reunion doesn't build to an emotional punch set off by some horrific revelation (a'la the first Dogme hit, 1998's The Celebration).
But even the on-screen action flags for a minute here and there, the performances-alive, open, and tinged with self-deprecation humor -- command attention. Some of the filmmakers and actors will be present at opening-weekend screenings (M.F.) UA Galaxy.
copyright: SF Weekly Review (11/13/02)
OUTRIDER PICTURES presents an O’HARA/KLEIN production REUNION dogme #17 starring in alphabetical order DWIER BROWN ANDRES FAUCHER MARLENE FORTE COREY GLOVER RAINER JUDD JENNIFER RUBIN BILLY WIRTH with STEVEN GILBORN as George CASTING by EVE BATTAGLIA, CSA and PENNY LUDFORD, CSA PHOTOGRAPHED by PATRICIA VANOVER EDITED by GABOR SZITANYI ASSOCIATE PRODUCED by JOE ANDERSON MICHAEL ROBAN and LARRY STESSEL EXECUTIVE PRODUCED by MAURIZIO AMERI and UMBERTO BONETTI PRODUCED by ERIC M. KLEIN and KIMBERLY SHANE O’HARA STORY by ERIC M. KLEIN and KIMBERLY SHANE O’HARA SCREENPLAY by KIMBERLY SHANE O’HARA DIRECTED by LEIF TILDEN
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