Desert Blue ***
rated R Samuel Goldwyn Films 90 minutes starring Brendan Sexton III, Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, John Heard, Lucinda Jenney, Casey Affleck, Sara Gilbert, Isidra Vega, Ethan Suplee, Michael Ironside written and directed by Morgan J. Freeman
I absolutely love small-town movies. Maybe it's something about the scenery; maybe it's something about the hopelessness of the characters; maybe it's because I live in a big city. Whatever it is, I'm not really sure. But something has drawn me to love films such as "SubUrbia", "Dancer, Texas Pop. 81" and now "Desert Blue".
"Desert Blue" is the new film from writer-director Morgan J. Freeman (not to be confused with the actor), whose previous film was the messy but convincing teenage crime drama "Hurricane Streets". Freeman, who was the assistant director on Todd Solondz's "Welcome To The Dollhouse", doesn't make great films, but he knows enough about teens to accurately portray their emotions.
"Desert Blue" is set in Baxter, CA; home of the world's largest ice cream cone. Among the population of 80-something are 5 distinctive teenagers. There is Cale (Ethan Suplee), who wants to be a sheriff, Haley (Isidra Vega), who works in her father's market, Pete (Casey Affleck), who races his A.T.V. all day, and Ely (Christina Ricci), who is obsessed with blowing stuff up with her homemade bombs. The fifth teenager is Blue (Brendan Sexton III), who works all day on a waterpark that his late father tried to build.
Blue's father wanted Baxter to become a tourist attraction, so he built the ice cream cone and he started on a waterpark called "Baxter Beach". Since Baxter is located on an aqueduct, water should have been easy to get. But just then, Empire Cola Company moved in, and their factory had all the rights to the aqueduct. Blue's father then died in his sleep when a fire burned down the town's motel.
Some time later, Skye (Kate Hudson), a TV star, passes through town with her dad (John Heard) who is writing a book about small-town americana and roadside attractions. The predictably bitchy Skye is begging her father to take her back to L.A., but just then, a truck carrying secret ingredients for Empire Cola crashes on the side of the road, releasing a toxic gas that may be poisonous. A quarantine is issued, and Skye is forced to stay in town.
At first, Skye won't go anywhere near the group of teens, but when it becomes apparent that there is nothing else to do, she begins to hang out with them. Blue and Skye (mind the pun) especially start to hit it off. Blue has never seen her TV show, but he is fascinated by her, since she is from the real world. As it goes in the movies, Skye turns out to have a heart of gold, and Blue finds himself in love with her.
An interesting aspect of "Desert Blue" is that the citizens don't feel that they're missing much, but when they are quarantined, they realize that they don't want to be trapped in town forever. A "Breakfast Club"-like conversation occurs when the teens ask themselves what they want to make of their lives.
The main conflict of the film is the kids trying to overthrow the authority of FBI Agent Bellows, who is trying to keep them from "infecting" anyone, since they may have come into contact with the toxic formula.
Morgan J. Freeman has crafted a quirky, engaging and affecting film. "Desert Blue" is rough around the edges, but Freeman knows how to write and direct the fine cast of teens. Brendan Sexton III, who starred in "Hurricane Streets", has some nice chemistry with Kate Hudson, Goldie Hawn's daughter who appeared in "200 Cigarettes"(with Christina Ricci and Casey Affleck). Ricci's character is more of a caricature, but she brings her wit and cynicism to the role.
"Desert Blue" is a quintessential small town film. It addresses the issues of small town life, and it looks at a part of America that we often never encounter. Freeman is a talent to keep an eye on.
a review by Akiva Gottlieb, The Teenage Movie Critic akiva@excite.com http://teenagemoviecritic.8m.com
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