Tully

Not quite your sweet love story. Young teenager romanticizes his long-dead m other and that affects all his relationships with other women. He comes around, so it could be typecast as your typical coming-of-age film. But it doesn't feel like anything typical. Which is strange, because if you break down the plot, there's really nothing new here. I think its saving grace is in how natural it feels. Even the ending, which is telegraphed with bright red flashing lights (or the cinematic equivalent thereof). There's nothing special done with cinematography -- no close-ups when there perhaps should be, no effects, not enough sweeping vistas to show the beauty of farm country. It's the acting that gives it the über-natural feel. And, no, you won't recognize any of the actors (unless you pay extreme close attention to popular TV series). It's a very simple film with a very small budget, not meant to be clever or exceedingly thought provoking. I was aware of a devotion to Clint Eastwood-directed films, albeit with less complexity in terms of plot. I'd characterize the film as one of those under-the-radar types that tells the truth without gloss or pomp. What a breath of fresh air.

year: 2000
length: 102 min.
rating: 3.5
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212604/combined