3 Backyards
Three dark-hued tales of life in a seemingly quiet Long Island suburb collide in this ambitious drama from writer and director Eric Mendelsohn. John (Elias Koteas) and his wife (Kathryn Erbe) are clearly unhappy with one another, though they don't want to talk about what's wrong, and when his flight out of town is canceled at the last minute, John decides not to go home. Instead, he checks into a motel and spends his spare time wandering the neighborhood where he used to live. Peggy (Edie Falco) is a middle-aged housewife driven to distraction by boredom, and she's initially thrilled when she discovers that a popular actress (Embeth Davidtz) has moved in next door. However, when the actress asks Peggy for a lift down to a nearby ferry, it leads to an unfortunate confrontation. And when eight-year-old Christina (Rachel Resheff) misses her school bus after swiping some jewelry from her mother's bedroom, she tried to walk there on her own. Taking a shortcut through the woods, Christina finds herself in a strange neighborhood, where she's exposed to the corrupt influences of the adult world. 3 Backyards received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. more..
Director: Eric Mendelsohn
Starring: Embeth Davidtz, Edie Falco, Elias Koteas, Rachel Resheff, Wesley Broulik
Helmer-writer Eric Mendelsohn returns with his first feature in a decade and the proposition that art film still has a place in the world -- which is an exhilarating idea, especially as represented by 3 Backyards, an exquisite example of calculated execution in pursuit of elusive ideas.
Mendelsohn's first film since 1999's "Judy Berlin" is devoted to finding descriptive correlatives to liminal emotional states through the cast's eloquent reaction shots and the camera's depiction of homely environments - with ornate, flowing visual vocabulary.
Mr. Mendelsohn's ability to evoke a child's-eye view of a suburban environment is the most seductive element in a movie whose primary attraction is an atmosphere so heady that you can almost taste it.
It's worth remembering that eleven years passed between "Judy Berlin" and 3 Backyards, both of which earned Mendelsohn best director prizes at Sundance.
The movie has none of the smugness of "American Beauty": You could dream of living in a world like this.
Dramatic
Sundance Film Festival (2010)
Narrative Feature - Honorable Mention
Woodstock Film Festival (2010)
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