Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 51 min
Director. Sabrina Doyle
Cast. Amelia Borgerding, Trish Egan, Jena Malone, Parker Pascoe-Sheppard, Chancellor Perry, Pablo Schreiber.
Rating. 70%
Lorelei is a quiet, unassuming gem of a film. Written and directed by first-time director Sabrina Doyle, Lorelei marks an impressive debut.
Recently released from prison, after serving 15 years for armed robbery, Wayland Beckett (Pablo Schreiber) runs into his former high school girlfriend, Dolores (Jena Malone). The film is an authentic character study of redemption, responsibility and growth in the US underclass, a subset of society that exist one paycheck away from poverty. Despite the rustic and run-down feel, the film's cinematography and production design are impressive. I too, at one point, felt like I could smell the "diesel and cheap perfume."
The performances of the two leading actors are one of the film's undoubted strengths. Jena Malone, in particular, is a revelation as the damaged and disappointed single mother. On the surface, a selfish individual but Malone produces a compelling portrayal of a mother comfortable with the heartwrenching realisation that her children deserve better than she can give them.
Trish Egan is wonderfully cast as Pastor Gail and more embellishment of the largely unexplored supporting characters, such as Pastor Gail would have been a welcome addition. The elevation of these supporting characters would have certainly added more texture to the story.
Accompanying the impressive performances of the two main protagonists is Sabrina Doyle's well-crafted script. There is a believability to the story. The rekindled romance isn't plain sailing - there are arguments, between two people simply trying to get by, the best they can. The wonderfully written dialogue flows naturally, often with a sombre and sorrowful undercurrent.
Wayland: "They're not even my..."
Dolores: "Just, say it. They're not your kids! But they should've been."
Aside from a brief, unassuming visual in the opening credits, the film's mythical title is only explained in the final 10 minutes. The German poet, Clemens Wenseslaus Brentano created the legend of Lorelei, a beautiful maiden who waited for her lover at a rock at the narrowest point on the River Rhine. When he never appeared, she jumped from the rock to her death. Here, her spirit remains seeking revenge against her unfaithful lover, as a freshwater siren (often depicted with a mermaid's tail) luring hapless sailors to their death.
Highly emotive and surprisingly powerful, Lorelei is a moving and compelling watch.
Comments
Post a Comment