Monday, January 19, 2009

It just wouldn’t be Sundance without a couple of dysfunctional families.

Lymelife from director Derick Martini follows two less-than-perfect families largely from the point of view of the teenagers. Sure we’ve seen this story before. But writer Derick and Steven Martini add enough twists, that it feels fresh.

Having spent my childhood in Wyoming, I loved the panic associated with ticks. I’ve been there. I also liked the hunting themes which also felt familiar.

Lymelife also benefits from some strong performances. Rory Culkin in the lead role is good but Kieran Culkin is even better as the older brother. And is there a better bad dad than Alec Baldwin. No matter how evil he gets, you still want to like him.

Tension builds throughout the movie culminating in a final scene that induced gasps from the audience. This may not be the most inventive movie at Sundance, but I liked it for it’s solid acting and well-formulated story.

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