Review of Chrystal

Chrystal (2004)
A hypnotic depiction of desperation
6 November 2007
Starring Billy Bob Thornton and Lisa Blount. Think of cross breeding the film "Deliverance" with Atom Egoyan's "The Sweet Hereafter" and Werner Herzog's "Heart of Glass". Set in the backwoods of an Appalachian dead end live a few people who are battered and scarred by Life's events and each other. There's history at the turn of every dirt road. There are regrets and bad, stupid blood. Nothing has gone right for them, and they don't see it changing, except during rare bouts of fantasy. That's right, this isn't a comedy. It's a steady, low key, almost hypnotic depiction of desperation. Acting by the entire cast is good. No one appears to be acting, let alone foreign to the experience. The folk music is haunting, the scenes flawlessly believable. I swear I've driven through that area. I tried to not stop anymore than necessary.
4 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed