Gerry film review

certificate_15

GERRY

Director Gus Van Sant has a reputation as being somewhat of a maverick filmmaker. It was Gus that thought it would be a neat idea to remake Psycho shot for shot when all around predicted failure. So it should be no surprise then that such an audiacious project should find it's way to his desk and that he'd readily agree to take it on. The fact that he had already worked with the writer/actor duo Matt Damon and Casey Affleck on Good Will Hunting may also have swayed his opinion. But make no mistake, this is a million miles away from Good Will Hunting - in every sense.

Two friends, both named Gerry, pull off the highway and begin to hike on a wilderness trail. Following a bout of horseplay the hapless duo find themselves hopelessly lost and, while it seems to be fun at first, it soon dawns on them that their situation is far more serious than they first thought.

And... erm..that's it...

For the whole 103 minutes we follow the guys as they walk across harsh desert only to change direction and walk across rolling hills, changing their minds yet again to climb mountains. With each passing day their lack of water and lack of progress takes it's toll - with the audience as much as with the cast. I must confess that I was as much in need of a drink by the end as either of the actors.

The long, long tracking shots showing the pair trudging through the landscape are enough to induce a trance like state in the audience. The beautifully shot scenery leaves you with a feeling of awe. But we never find out why the couple went in the desert in the first place, get to know nothing about them personally and ultimately don't care if they live or die. And that, for me, despite all its arty pretentions, is its major flaw.

They don't make films like this very often and with good reason. I sat through this so you don't have to...