Bondage

I think that is a more accurate summary because, even though "Girl, Interrupted does deal with someone who is institutionalized, "Bondage" has nothing in common with the style or feeling of that film. It has more of a pace and an edge like "Trainspotting" in my opinion.

This movie is so not the kind of thing you would see coming from a major studio. It isn't lame or predictable and it doesn't talk down to it's audience. This reminds me more of the kinds of stories that were being made into movies like in the late sixties and early seventies. I guess what I'm saying is it has like more of a soul.

Also the guy who wrote it and directed it and raised all the money to make it also lived it. And that has a power to it all its own.

This movie is totally original, and for that reason I think a lot of cynical types won't get it at all. I just know that the packed house at the premiere was filled with people who did get it. They loved the movie probably for the same reasons I do - I could relate.

I've never been through the experiences that the protagonist Charlie Edwards has, but I have certainly felt trapped and like my life was no longer my own. I think we all have and in the end I think that is why "Bondage" succeeeds.

Bondage is not about the strange sex acts that happen in New York City's underground brothels; it is a light, indie study of being held down by those around you which prevent you from developing your own sense of character and humanity. As interesting as that could've been, Bondage is an absolute disappointment.

Read: will be picked up by a small distribution company and make a killing in hip indie markets.

The film is about young Charlie who lives in a dysfunctional household with terrible parents and a 15 year old kid brother who loves to push him into doing things he doesn't want to. In order to get out of the house, the two lie to their parents about going to church and end up at a park smoking pot and drinking beer. After sneaking out one night with his brother to vandalize the school, Charlie is caught by the police and sent to Juvenile hall. His brother manages to get off, and Charlie doesn't rat him out. The rest of the film focuses on Charlie's "horrific" experiences in prison and his eventual coming of age.

In retrospect, Bondage has a lot of great things going for it. Director Eric Allen Bell somehow picked the perfect cast of no-name actors to comprise his film, and they are all excellent. Particularly fantastic is young Michael Angarano as Charlie, I'm sure if this gets ample distribution that we'll be seeing a lot more from young Michael. But Bell's poor script chokes the potential out of the film's throat. All of the actors and themes are downright wasted here, as Bell would love for us to take his themes more seriously, but can't seem to shake the silly adolescent humor. Bondage is another modern American independent film that has no idea what subtlety means. I don't need a two minute monologue by the protagonist's love interest telling us that he is a good person who just hasn't been given a chance. Stop beating the audience over the head already; we aren't stupid.

Bell's film is the most recent case of the indie film cliché. The most recent serving of Garden State/Thumbsucker etc. wave of films, Bondage features everything from poorly placed flashbacks to flashy split screen editing and a terribly obvious soundtrack. One scene which made me and the woman to my right crack up, finds Charlie placed in solitary confinement with a Death Cab song playing over it. If the film isn't screaming, "COME ON, PLEASE LIKE ME!" it's crying, "COME ON, FEEL SORRY FOR MY CHARACTERS!" Bell's film is at times very funny and can be surprisingly entertaining. But for what director Eric Allen Bell was hoping to achieve in his conveyance of themes, he fails miserably. The tonally inconsistent first feature effort from the director should be a stepping stone on which to learn by, and improve next time. This film is noticeably better than other first timer's films, it's just so scattershot and obvious that I can't recommend it.

I really liked this movie; it excels in telling the story of one young man's humanity, contrasted with the inhumanity of the correctional system. You become immersed in the life of Charlie, and you start to make the voyage through the film with him. As you begin trying to understand everything going on in his life, you contrast it to a system that does not see people as individuals. A system the judges people's character based upon flawed and superficial measurements.

Superb acting was essential to telling the story, and the cast did a fantastic job. There are many shots in the film that rely heavily on the facial expression of Charlie, and Michael Angarano delivered.

I think the cinematography really fit the film as well. The use of lighting, colors and shots always seemed appropriate, and really was consistent with the overall vision.

In short, storytelling is often times a lost art, but Bondage did a great job at telling us a story. It gives the audience the chance to walk in someone else's shoes for a few hours, and learn from their experience. I really enjoyed that experience.

-E

So I work in this crazy business, the film business. And the word I've been hearing is that it is a "teenage Taxi Driver". So, I got my hands on a copy of the script. I can see why people are comparing it so much to "Garden State" because of it's sort of coming-of-age appeal. However, "Girl, Interrupted" was slow and introspective while I found this script to be a real page-turner. The story was non-traditional and very unpredictable. I also get the comment that somebody made about "Trainspotting". I can see that. However, the "Taxi Driver" comparison is the one that, to me, makes the most sense. It deals with a person who has been through too much, seen too much, and the only way they can express it is through rage, which comes out when you least expect it. At least, I never saw it coming. Nor could I have ever predicted the end for that matter. This movie is in competition at South By Southwest this year and I wish them all the luck in the world. The script reads confidently, like a movie that should be seen.

So... What the FAWK does it take to see this movie??? I'm a big fan of the lead character, Michael Angarano. And I suspect he was perfect for the part. Being a former staff person at several youth facilities myself, I would really like to see this movie, even if just to see this supposed true life story from the writer's eyes. From what I've heard, the CA system is pretty brutal, NOT like the facilities >I< worked at. It also seems like a lot of people put a lot of hard work and money into this. Just as a side note, Director and Producers might want to think about changing the name so this film doesn't come off sounding like some cheap porn flick. It would be nice to see this work finally get released somewhere, even IF it goes direct to video. Good Luck and Best Wishes to all involved.