Reviews

This is an intriguing film that takes a sincere, albeit somewhat convoluted, look at one woman's odyssey in the Internet porn world.

It may seem voyeuristic, but I find it dead-on informative in a slice-of-life manner (such as the scene where Moon is judging the potential men to sleep with and commenting on their ... packages -- priceless and funny and sexy all at once). Ultimately it's about human relationships and the kind of relationships Moon (played by Juliette Marquis, who should rightfully be a star someday) wants and needs in her life. Though I'm not sure the payoff by film's end is all that deep, her journey is an interesting, self-reflective one (part of why I like the voice over and talking into the camera technique Ash employs, though that's not a consistent tool).

The lead actress herself is a breath of fresh air and quite natural. I didn't care much for Woods; though he starts well I think he tends to scene steal (same with Rappaport); the relatively no-name actors, I think, added more depth. Where the movie fails is the half-hearted moralistic turn it takes about halfway through the film, though it's honest and necessary to capture the seamier side of the industry. Some of those scenes just feel overdone and tacked on (such as the evil car salesman -- those scenes feel gross and obvious). All that said, Marquis is mesmerizing and displays some real talent and chops; I'm frankly rather amazed she's not a superstar yet. There's solid chemistry between her and her love interest, and I like the subtlety in their relationship; for once, a budding romance that's understated. I think Moon ultimately is realizing she's built up walls to control the world around her, and perhaps that's why she's yearning for s sort of "reincarnation," as she puts it.

Definitely recommended, though some will find it meanders and doesn't add up. Not me, though.

I picked this up at the local video store, having been impressed with its credentials and the intriguing writeup about the storyline. I guess I'm glad I did, even if the film really fails at getting beyond some rather simplistic coming-of-age poignancy. The kind of films I most enjoy are slower mood pieces ... but they have to add up to something.

"Dandelion" fails because the script really isn't meaty enough to warrant any in-depth resonance to these characters. The cast does remarkably well with precious little, particularly Vincent Kartheiser in the lead role and Arliss Howard as his father. Their relationship is one that's actually fascinating but it doesn't get too far into redemptive territory. Part of what I want to know is how these characters got here. How'd the father become such a remote curmudgeon? What's Mason's past history with friends, his mother? His way of being protective over her is touching, but his role as her son is given scant attention. Everyone seems so passive, as if they're letting things roll over them. And what really motivates Mason to take the fall for his father? Why does he feel that in some sense he deserved it? This we'll never know because the writing isn't there. When the dad tells Mason he loves him in the graveyard, it's supposed to be a powerful moment, but comes off as pretty sophomoric. Because, really, if that's all he realizes, it's not much.

Because of the poor writing, the plot turns feel forced, contriving to hammer down twists and turns. But none of that feels natural -- just overloaded (particularly Danny's demise ... what a cheap shot by the writers).

Best scene: Mason, Danny and the dying bird. That scene, at the very least, has some surprise and kick to it. But it doesn't really connect in any coherent way with their love and the rest of the film.

The pace and cinematography are just fine. There's great use of the landscape and pretty camera work, but I'm not sure it really adds much to have endless fields of waving grain.

Ah, such beautiful emptiness. Too bad it's not as interesting as it could've been.