Genres

Visitors Review

tigerfish50 2012-05-19 15:42:37

Comedic Approach to a Dramatic Dilemma

The issue of infidelity is usually used as a set-up for revengethrillers in movies, while in the real world most people try to controltheir murderous impulses and navigate their way to reconciliation orseparation. "Who Loves The Sun" opens with the sudden return of a youngdrifter to the lakeside community where he had grown up, five yearsafter he had suddenly disappeared. Will had exiled himself aftercatching his wife, Maggie, having sex with his childhood best friend,Daniel. Ignorant about the infidelity, Daniel's parents offer Willshelter for the night - and while he sleeps, they call up their son andMaggie, who soon arrive seeking explanations for the prolonged absence- and the trio promptly begin wrestling with their various unresolvedissues.Writer/director Matt Bissonnette initially seems to take the situationwith appropriate gravity, but gradually dilutes his film's credibilityby choosing the comedic option time and again as the narrative unfolds.The excellent Molly Parker balances her performance nicely betweenpoignant regret over her past behavior, and anger at Will's extremeresponse to her betrayal. In contrast, Will and Daniel are too oftenrequired to act out their conflict for laughs. They scuffleineffectually, play stupid jokes on one another, jump impulsively intothe lake fully-clothed, and stare sulkily into the distance until bothof them look like petulant juveniles. By the time the story's big twistis revealed near the end, most viewers will feel as if they have beenwatching a light comedy rather than a drama - and it seems like awasted opportunity for a nice idea and the luminist cinematography.

emprof 2012-05-19 04:38:18

Lukas Haas

Lukas Haas, who will forever be to me the terrific child actor in"Witness," seems miscast in this film. His movements and his deliveryof his lines make him appear to be sleep walking through the movie.Maybe he is supposed to play the role as a slacker. But then there'sthe manuscript he supposedly wrote, which is, of course, supposed to bevery good (according to his ex-wife). The script seems ratherunbelievable with two friends eventually finding out a secret thatmakes even less sense and to me is unimportant to make the movie work.I did very much like Molly Parker, although she is a bit too old to beHaas' ex-wife in this movie. She exudes sensual energy. This film workshard at being an independent film, but the dialog is too choppy and thefilm plods on and on way to slowly. A much better film is the classicRoman Polanski's "Knife in the Water."

natg520 2012-05-12 01:00:52

You Get What You'd Expect From This One

You look at the cover of this DVD and you think, " I'm in the mood fora relationship-oriented independent film". So you get "Who Loves TheSun" and watch exactly what you thought you were getting. The actorsperform according to the abilities you have seen them demonstratebefore (although Lukas Haas was a more versatile actor as a child).The story plays out according to plan, with some hi-jinx, some romance,some rivalry. Call it a generation Y coming of age story. It seems likethe characters could just leave and go back to their lives, but theyhave to stick it out until everything gets resolved. Because that iswhat the story suggests. The cinematography is adequate. The dialog isup to today's independent movie standards. But wouldn't it be nice ifsomething interesting happened?

Ruby Liang 2012-05-11 14:07:43

What a pleasant surprise of a suburban summer story, spiced up as this family tale gets deeper and secrets reveal for the baking

I caught this movie on the Sundance Channel on cable one lateafternoon. You might say "Who Loves the Sun" is a perfect leisurelypastime of a story, why ever not. You get to hang out with the trio:Lukas Haas is Will (returning after abruptly leaving everyone yearsago), Molly Parker is Maggie (we learn she's very much part of thefamily Bloom), and Adam Scott is Daniel (is he friend or foe orfiancé), by the scenic Falcon Lake, Manitoba, Canada, captured ingraphic compositions juxtaposed in vivid summer colors against sunshineand shadows. And supporting the trio are two more family members in therevealing mix: Wendy Crewson is Mom Mary Bloom, and R.H. Thomson is DadArthur Bloom. Writer-director Matt Bissonnette has delivered aningenious unfolding of story-line and its various tentacle links -worry not, Haas may have a 'listless' face, but humor will come asParker and Scott enter the circle of friends reunited, wry smiles willbreak and knowing delights stir. Dialogs may be terse or even nil, yetwe'd get the flavor of what's cooking, bemused or wondering.Yes, "Who Loves the Sun" can very well be categorized as a sleeper gem.The chemistry between all five principals sure gels and 'combusts',giving an energetic ensemble performance. After all, it's all in thefamily, and the film sure doesn't take itself too seriously.Looks like the official site is still available at "wholovesthesun.com"and there are information on the soundtrack by Mac McCaughan(Portastatic with guitar tunes and strings) where score excerpts arebeing played, and behind the scenes production notes, interview withwriter-director-producer Bissonnette on how the movie and concept cameabout, the casting and more. Have always appreciate Molly Parker sinceher spare yet mesmerizing performance in 1996 Lynne Stopkewich's'Kissed', and she's married to Bissonnette, who "wrote the Maggie partfor Molly."

Kelly 2012-05-11 03:01:35

Not as funny as it wants to be

I saw this movie at the AFI Dallas festival. Most of the audience,including my wife, enjoyed this comedy-drama, but I didn't. It starsLucas Haas (Brick, Alpha Dog), Molly Parker (Kissed, The Five Senses,Hollywoodland) and Adam Scott (First Snow, Art School Confidential).The director is Matt Bissonnette, who's married to Molly Parker. Allthree actors do a fine job in this movie about 3 friends, the marriageof two of them and infidelity involving the third. It all takes placeat a lake house and it looks wonderful. The film wants to treat itssubject as a comedy first and then a drama, and I thought it needed tobe the other way around.

2012-05-10 21:20:16

It hurt my ears!

This review is from: Who Loves The Sun (DVD) Bad language hurt my ears and poor acting hurt my consciousness...I couldn't get past the first 15 minutes. Wish Amazon would give refunds!!