A Thousand Acres (R) ** 1/2 (out of ****) The most telling moment of A Thousand Acres is neither an image nor a scene but a credit: "Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Jane Smiley"--not merely based on Smiley's novel, but her _Pulitzer_Prize-winning_ novel. This unusually blatant mention of its award-winning pedigree not only highlights the self-important pretensions of Jocelyn Moorhouse's overheated melodrama, but also how far from award-caliber the film is. Early in the film lifelong Iowa farmer Larry Cook (Jason Robards) decides to quit the business and split is 1000-acre lot between his three daughters: loyal, optimistic eldest daughter Ginny (Jessica Lange); sassy, bitter middle daughter Rose (Michelle Pfeiffer); and the youngest, big city lawyer Caroline (Jennifer Jason Leigh). This monumental decision causes major upheaval to what appeared to be a perfect family, bringing long-simmering tensions to the surface. What ensues is a tale of betrayal, abuse, adultery, cancer, repressed memories--a blueprint for a potentially provocative and Oscar-worthy tale. But for all the hot-button issues screenwriter Laura Jones packs into A Thousand Acres, the film itself does not pack the emotional punch it so obviously strives for. With so many serious issues crammed in (including a fleeting reference to the dangers of contaminated well water), Moorhouse's direction is often too overtly manipulative to elicit a genuine emotional response. The viewer is especially aware of the button-pushing during the overtly "dramatic" confrontation scenes, in particular one between Ginny, Rose, and Larry during a storm. Melodramatic music by Richard Hartley peals on the soundtrack as everyone yells at each other and, for good measure, thunder roars in the background. Everything is so overblown as to feel processed and synthetic, and as such, the viewer cannot feel anything authentic. A Thousand Acres does manage to generate some poignancy, though, during the intimate scenes between the dazzling Pfeiffer and Lange, who elevate the film to a higher level than it deserves. Less is definitely more here; the two have a natural sibling rapport (we feel both their anger and love for one another), and Moorhouse wisely steps aside and lets that speak for itself during these quieter moments. Tears are shed, invective is exchanged, and hearts are broken, but the material isn't overplayed--the pitches are firm but not shrill, the tears slowly flowing instead of spewing uncontrollably. The two are magic together, and only in these scenes does any hint of real emotion shine through. One wishes that the film was solely focused on their relationship than the business involving their father's land. But, unfortunately, the film _is_ titled A Thousand Acres, and the other actors struggle with that less inspired side of the story. Pity the talented Leigh; while she also plays a Cook sister, she has scant screen time, and in that time one never gets a satisfactory read on her character. She starts off as sort of a black sheep and then becomes her father's big supporter somewhere along the way; I could not figure out what motivated her. Robards appears to be a perfect fit for the Cook patriarch, but I was never convinced that he could be seen as anything other than the crabby, morally questionable man he eventually reveals himself to be. He never establishes any trace of gentleness or heart that would lead everyone to believe that he is an upstanding member of the community; from the get-go there seems to be something sinister lurking underneath. Propelled by a number of effective Pfeiffer-Lange scenes, the film builds up some steam as it approaches its sentimental conclusion, but it isn't quite enough. By that time, any promise the film initially has proven to be just that, promise, and instead of being profoundly moving, in the end A Thousand Acres is little more than slightly affecting.
Michael Dequina mrbrown@ucla.edu | mj23@the18thhole.com mrbrown23@juno.com | mrbrown@iname.com | mst3k@digicron.com mj-23@geocities.com | michael_jordan@geocities.com
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