Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-18 03:02:10

** mystery and magic in the desert southwest**

This movie was a gift to me and I was told that I needed to own it. OK, I was game but I had never even heard of this movie, but I do enjoy offbeat and independent films, so what the heck. At first, I really didn't know what to make of this movie, it seemed a bit slow and without order. Since it was already in progress and there was nothing better to do at the time, I just waited a while and then suddenly..............everything starts moving and things get interesting.Without warning, like shape-shifting, transporting you to a "magical" and beautiful place as is the desert itself. A place where a family living among nature and under the big beautiful sky of New Mexico is carving out a self-sufficient existence with "just-enough" money but a whole lot of love. The father that is temporarily depressed, the mother whom is a decendent of Hopi indians, and the delightful sunshine of a daughter, live and love among the cactus, mountains and coyotes trying to cope with everyday life in a unique environment. There is sooo much going on in this movie, it really is hard to convey what's up.....anway.... Then comes a stranger with a briefcase from the IRS to begin an audit. The agent comes upon the young girl's Mother, weeding in the garden naked, and that's all the plot you are going to get out of me, because the rest is amazing. From there, you are completely captivated. When this film is over, you feel uplifted and enriched, (even though there are a few sad moments along the way), and ultimately rewarded with a treat for the soul!

2012-05-17 06:13:48

Enlightenment the Land of Enchantment

Off the Map lives up to its name not only in that it takes place in the remote New Mexican Desert, but because of its unconventional approach to human relations. An IRS agent from near Boston comes to audit the taxes of a family that lives off the land. They do so somewhat comfortably, but they make less than $5000 a year. The agent, who has an artist's heart, falls in love with Joan Allen from the moment he sees her meditating naked in the garden. He doesn't do so because it's a sexual turn-on as much as because it awakens his spirit to find himself. He falls sick with a bad reaction to a bee sting, and when he is better several days later, he decides to quit the IRS thing and become an artist and stick around. Sam Elliott, Allen's husband, is depressed for really no reason, but it is with the help of our former IRS agent that he comes back to his old, happy self.The movie is taken by young actess Valentina de Angelis, who, despite being the youngest character, is the one who steers straight the ship. You'll have to watch the movie to find out why this is both figurative, and literal.The biggest star of Off the Map is New Mexico itself. At one point, Allen tells the new artist that New Mexico can be overpowering and magical, and the filmmaking depicts that very well.

2012-05-17 10:46:30

accident or planned???????

What I really want to know is if the artist was killed by accident oron purpose?????????? My friend and my husband both think it had to beby accident, I say she was a herbalist and she must have known and Ithink her husband did also. All three of us loved the movie. I likedthe way it dealt with depression, that you can come out of it and thatthere is support, either in friends, family or therapy. Loved theacting. The movie made me feel as though I was there in the house andon the homestead with real people. I could actually forget I waswatching a movie and felt involved. I am from the southwest and thedialog was so real I felt I knew these people before in my earlier lifeand they talked my language.

GeneSiskel 2012-05-16 23:18:20

Land of Enchantment

This is a sweet movie, a gentle film. On the one hand it is a coming ofage picture told in flashbacks, something like the Waltons transposedto New Mexico. On the other hand it is a counterculture picture, aslice of nude-gardening home-schooling bartering-not-banking art-lovingdon't-kill-what-you-don't-eat hippie life in the desert. Past, present,future, life, and death meet and are reconciled. Demons are exorcised,without much of an on-screen struggle. Life is affirmed and goes on.Memories survive. The actors are fun to watch. Valentina de Angelis, who debuted in thisfilm as the young Bo, is adorable and an actress well beyond her years.Sam Elliott, who debuted in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (andlater married that film's female lead Katharine Ross), is type-cast asa cowboy, for good reason. Joan Allen is a character actress with abroad range; here she functions as the hippie soul-mate of a lost IRSfield employee played by Jim True-Frost. J.K. Simmons is also aversatile character actor, so versatile here that I did not recognizehim in his role as George. This a very good independent film. Do not focus too closely on theresolution. Just enjoy it.

tbidder 2012-05-15 05:52:42

Wow!

Saw this at the theater, and have thought about it so often since thatI picked it up on DVD. Can't understand why Sam Elliott and Joan Allendidn't get an Oscar nod. In the day of grandiose epics and formulaicplots, this movie about people is refreshing. Seemingly simple at thesurface, the depth of characters is astounding. If you've ever beenthrough beautiful New Mexico, you just know that there must be peoplelike this living off the land. The actors in this movie disappear intothe movie, and you almost feel like a peeping tom, sneaking a peek intotheir private lives. You feel the emotion of confronting the IRS andyou understand why Joan Allen is gardening au natural. It's not aflashy movie by any means, but it is one that has stuck in my mind.Don't miss this one!

TxMike 2012-05-15 00:03:30

Quirky and interesting. A welcome change from most big budget movies.

Seems that Amy Brenneman gets top billing for this movie but other thanher narration during the movie, appears only briefly at the beginningand at the end, as the adult Bo. Most of the movie is set in the early1970s in very rural New Mexico when young Bo was just 12 or so. Theirplace is so remote, with no TV or telephone, it is really "off themap." Sam Elliot as Charley is the head of the family, but he is in themidst of some sort of depression that has come on, and he cries sooften and so much that he has to drink water all the time to keep fromdrying up. He is mostly non-functional and non-communicative. JoanAllen is Arlene, the handy and understanding wife who sometimes enjoysgardening in the nude in the middle of the day. After all, there rarelyis anyone around except her small family and the wolves. They live onvery little, growing and canning most of their food. Little Bo is homeschooled and very smart.Things change quickly after an IRS man comes on foot to find them,seems they haven't filed tax returns for a number of years. Butsomething happens that throws a wrench into everything.There isn't much action, not much background music, but very richcharacters, and the conversations seldom go where you expect them to. Ifound myself just so curious to see what would happen next, and wasnever disappointed. A fine movie.SPOILERS. The tax man was bitten right away by a bee or wasp, had anallergic reaction, and spent several days in a semi-coma on theircouch. When he had arrived, Arlene was nude in the garden and that,plus her caring attitude, caused him to fall in love with her. But theynever did anything about it, but he stayed with the family. Meantimelittle Bo was learning more about the ways of the world, figured outhow to apply for and get a credit card, and soon a delivery of a $5000yacht shows up, hand-drawn map and all. The IRS man takes a new view oflife, never goes back to his job, and becomes an accomplished artist.He died mysteriously a few years later, he was found in the desert.Back in present time adult Bo came home, was greeted at the bus stop byher old mom and dad, and the movie ends at a special exhibit in Taos ofthe IRS artist's works which by now had become very well known and veryvaluable.

Ron Boothe 2012-05-06 11:07:30

Freud analyzes Garden of Eden

I liked this movie a lot. Previous films I have seen in which CampbellScott had a role as Director/Producer have emphasized characterdevelopment and psychological profiles (A husband undergoinghallucinations during an acute marriage crisis in Secret Lives ofDentists; An individual exhibiting sociopathic traits in Rodger Dodger;Personality conflicts between brothers in Big Night). He also has apenchant for uncut scenes with long takes that appeal to my personalfilm sensitivity -- e.g., The several minute scene, done with no cutsand almost no dialogue, at the end of Big Night in which one brotherdoes nothing more than cook an omelet that the two brothers then share.These same features are present in Off the Map. In addition, there issomething else present in this movie that I have not seen discussed inany of the reviews or comments I have read about it, and that is what Iwant to bring up for discussion here. The following contains severalspoilers, so do not read on if that is an issue.This is a screenplay with deep Freudian psychological symbolism. Themother (Arlene), father (Charlie), and daughter (Bo) live as old-style"hippies" in a mythical Garden of Eden (set physically in New Mexico in1974). There is one problem; Charlie has fallen into a deep depression.The movie reveals, subtly but clearly (watch carefully for the clues)that the reason for the depression is because of a premonition thatthis idyllic situation cannot continue much longer; Bo is growing up,and is going to force a change in Eden, one way or the other.Onto this situation arrives a stranger, named William, who has beendepressed since childhood with unresolved issues regarding hisbiological mother. Via some rather dramatic events, William quicklytransfers his love for his dead biological mother to Arlene. (Thedialogue where William expresses his "love" for Arlene is carefullycrafted to be consistent with Freudian love as occurs between a malechild and his mother). Once this love is expressed, it sets up aFreudian Oedipal conflict between William and Charlie that must beresolved. Eventually it is, in a scene in which Charlie passes Williama phallic symbol and assures him that "he can keep it". William, havingresolved this Oedipal conflict, is finally able to leave his"childhood" depression behind and blossom into a creative adult.Similarly, Charlie having allowed William to pass from "childhood toadulthood", is now able to begin dealing with his psychological fearthat Bo is growing up and about to leave. This (along with severalother events and relationships that I will not elaborate on furtherhere) allows Charlie to pull out of his depression.With all of that foreshadowing, one knows that Bo is going to dosomething rather dramatic before the movie is over; the forbidden fruitfrom the tree of knowledge WILL be eaten; Bo WILL leave Eden.

2012-05-05 22:11:36

You either get it, or you don't.

This film literally unfolds before you, breathing and living at its own pace. A beautiful re-telling of a young girl's unconventional (by modern standards) childhood in the New Mexico desert, Bo's story becomes a gentle catalyst of change for everyone around her. Each character's movements impact the other's with precision and depth.

charlesmajuri1 2012-05-05 18:53:53

A wonderful film about being human

This film touches many places in the heart and mind. It is apsychological journey but through the heart and soul of some amazingcharacters. As a psychologist, I can tell you that Sam Elliot'sportrayal of someone going through depression is nothing short offantastic. I am a huge Sam Elliot fan and feel the same about JoanAllen, who I feel is quite beautiful from the inside out, especially.This film sensitively and accurately depicts many aspects of the humancondition that we all can be exposed to in our lives. As it does thisit shows us in a beautiful way how wonderful it is to be human. Thedirection of this film is excellent and I feel it will become a classicmotion picture.

2012-05-05 05:17:17

Great for NM lovers, artists, and folks longing to see a movie with no enemies

A beautiful movie set in northern New Mexico in a simple time. A family lives in the NM high desert rural land reminiscent of "the 60s" style living. The story is occasionally narrated through the eyes of the daughter, now adult. The acting is superb. It is movie that deals with depression, eocnomic hardship, challenge, and family issues without judgment, blame, or violence. An outsider joins the family and becomes involved in their lives in an integral way. It is refreshing to see a movie where there are no bad guys. Off the Map offers a transformative theme and is a wonder to see. The natural beauty adds to its depth. It is hard to imagine coming away from this movie without feeling sad yet edified about life. I heartily thank my friend and author M. Quest who recommended this to me!

Bob Pr. 2012-05-02 07:57:06

Entertaining but needlessly flawed.

(This review contains some possible mild spoilers.)One viewer, in his/her comments that I read before seeing this film,said in effect 'this movie gives indie films a bad name.' While Iwouldn't go that far, and I DID find it entertaining, I also marvel atits needless, jarring non sequiturs in its story and many wastedopportunities to show character depth and development. The plus side includes -- the scenery was beautiful and the cameracaptured that. I thought the casting was good and all played well whatthey had to work with. The young Bo (de Angelis) was a treat.The married couple, Charlie and Arlene, non-drug using hippies, livedan almost idyllic Robinson Crusoe existence on the fringes ofcivilization. Arlene was part Native American in touch with many herbalremedies. Charlie was an excellent mechanic capable of building orfixing most anything. They home schooled their precocious daughter, Bo.The film is mainly a series of slice of life episodes when she waseleven.On the minus side are the flaws, among them -- -- when a character becomes depressed, they fortunately come intopossession of some unnamed anti-depressant pills. The film gives asurprisingly good, accurate enough demonstration of the type ofreaction some people get when taking too high doses of anti-PSYCHOTICmeds, such as Haldol. But meds like Haldol are NOT anti-DEPRESSANTS andwould not be used for the type of depression either the pills' originalowner demonstrated -- or that the pills' taker had. -- One character suddenly blossoms into being a professional artistwhose paintings are in high demand -- with no indication of anyprevious professional training or artistic skill. Yes, Grandma Mosesdid that but she remained always a primitive and her paintings areobviously primitive (unmentored) art. -- And a child with a credit card buys and has delivered a $20-25k CapeDory 25 sailboat which, miraculously, turns out to be a helpful thingto have done. The sale of painting for $7k pays for it. That's just a few of the many needless (IMO) bumps to continuity.The director and screenwriter seem adept at having something suddenlyhappen to which people react but seem usually unconcerned about makingthe something that happens fit in logically.But there's more to like than dislike in the film. I just wish thescreenwriter and director had made the movie it could easily have been.

JAMES 2012-05-02 03:39:57

WHAT!!! NO OSCAR NOMINATIONS FOR THIS FILM-HOW SAD

This is one outstanding script and movie, beautifully done. I'm totally shocked at the low box office numbers and the lack of any oscar nominations. It's right up there with Little Miss Sunshine and Juno. There should have been 3-4 oscar nominations. Drama at its best and a few laughs scattered about. Don't pass on this one.

2012-04-28 01:55:39

My favorite movie of all time

This touching film, Off The Map, tugs at the heart-strings as a young girl, Bo, watches her father go through a crippling depression. The sharp dialogue and many-layered characters are a treat for the mind, and the beautiful landscape and intriguing themes include the viewer in the emotional rollercoaster that this movie tumbles through. Although slow-paced, new concepts are introduced periodically. Meanwhile, an ongoing discussion related to the depression of Charley and George, peppers the plot. This movie feeds the viewer an emotional buffet, and leaves one feeling perfectly satisfied.

crystalb23 2012-04-27 10:42:11

loved it

It was like a painting unfolding; the characters seemed bizarre andstill authentic; the story was not simplified for the audience andeveryone wanted to talk about their views; slow but never boring. Weall missed something in the storyline and comparing notes afterwardgave us all a new perspective on the movie. It was great that thedirector did not try to explain it all to us but let us either guess orunderstand what we could on our own. I thought the acting by the littlegirl is award performance level and if they released it closer to falltwo or three of the actors might have been given an academy nod. It wasa really great movie.

pkobin 2012-04-27 01:29:47

Blew me away - my date as well

Our first word when it was over was "superb." An unusual story thatcarries you along. Incredible writing, incredible directing (kudos toCampbell Scott), brilliant acting by Joan Allen and Sam Elliott. Theemotions are understated, power-packed. I laughed, I loved, I cried abit, too. Too made it was not around long. It's a keeper and I'll buyit. Thank you Campbell Scott for a beautiful, scene for scene,extremely well-directed film. Thank you Joan and Sam for all of it butespecially the one shoe-scene. I suggest you re-release it. I had notheard of this movie before it was released. And didn't know it had beena play, either. Our newspaper reviewer didn't do it justice, though thereview as written did draw me to the film.

2012-04-26 08:41:05

living the simple life

The story is really good and the actors go well. Great direction. The movie gets you involved from minute one and keeps your interest to the very end. The movie makes you think about what we need or not in our lifes to be happy and at peace. I strongly recommend!

totally_tuesday 2012-04-26 02:34:23

It's a quiet, gentle life, *so* not normal American

Imagine living in a gentle place. I always have wanted that. No wonderI couldn't find it, it's "Off The Map". You'd approve of these people, and yet they aren't participating in thecorporate capitalist society in any meaningful way. They don't evenhave electricity. They're on with the real meaning of life. The storyis told from the viewpoint of the child of the family, who knows noother existence, but is aware of other styles of living. She's quitesmart and adept at figuring things out. And she does! The mothercarries on her Hopi mother's recipes. The father is deep in depression,almost completely non-responsive. Mom wants to get him on medication.Uncle Frank is like a silent partner to the family, he's just alwaysthere. They have a visit from the IRS.

2012-04-25 17:36:24

Brilliantly Wonderful for the Heart!!!

This review is from: Off the Map (DVD) Depression hits and it is such huge work trying to turn it all around and along comes this magic gift...WOW!I found "Off The Map" so heart warmingly brilliant that I sat and watched it over again. I wanted to stay within the "given" within it all for-ever. I have never felt so loved and supported by a movie before.To the Cast...THANK YOU!To the ScreenPlay Writer ... Thank You!To the Producer...Thank You!To the Director ...Thank You!I would love more wonderful gifts of this magnificence to made for the viewing, it is such a magically healing movie!Zebaulla

dr. mojave 2012-04-22 09:35:57

took some patience, had to invest, great pay-off

great little movie. having lived in new Mexico, i get it. a bit tediousat times, but well worth the investment. this movie has a big heart. igrew to love the characters. many people would yawn and give up. i likethese kinds of movies that take time to develop (if there is a pay-offat the end). this movie paid off big time. Sam Elliott and Joan Allenare always great. Amy brenneman was a nice touch (i have enjoyed hersince she played Faye moskewitz on Frasier). the girl (bo)was greattoo. she has great camera presence (like Andie McDowell). if mangedproperly, she has a fine future. - all in all, see this movie. it makesyou feel good about life.

hurstlacey 2012-04-21 19:56:29

So glad this film finally got distribution!

I just loved this movie. Anyone who values character driven indie filmslucky enough to be near a screening of this film should rush to see it.I left the film feeling I really knew these fascinating characters, andfelt lucky to have known them for the last two hours. This film wouldbe perfect for the film festival circuit, I don't know why they didn'tgo that route, for that would have built word of mouth for a betterplaced release. It deserves the art house circuit, but is screening inmultiplexes that won't nurture it; and audiences that prefer this kindof movie never venture into these theaters. OK, the film: Magical NewMexican vistas, wonderful paintings, sensitive direction, breathtakingacting by all. Every character had their own story, whether it wascoming-of-age, sensual awakening, recovery, or fulfillment. Yet allthese stories seamlessly integrated into the whole. Just go and enjoy.