Crush

This gifted performer lives and works in Auckland, thus depriving the world at large of another Meryl Streep. Lucky Kiwis can watch her most evenings on the local soap Shortland Street, where she raises the bar regularly for her costars. She has appeared on Xena and Hercules and last year patrons of the Maidment Theatre were treated to a compelling performance in The Beauty Queen of Leenane. If you want definitive proof of her talents, rent 1984's "Constance." Brilliant stuff.

I'm not a relative! Just an expat American living in Auckland who would pay to see this women reading from the phone book and wishing Hollywood would take notice.

I only saw the last half of this New Zealand film on Sundance cable this evening.

Of course I wouldn't normally comment after an incomplete viewing, much less only half. I'm only doing so because so far there are no comments on IMDb, and this one deserves them. But given my partial viewing, I won't venture any more comment than this:

It's a very well filmed, intense psychological drama among four women and one man. It definitely brings a fresh perspective. It's well acted, and riveting, for those interested in intelligent, as opposed to least common denominator, dramas.

I will definitely be viewing the whole thing.

I saw this film and ten minutes into it i thought this is bad. 15 min later I thought this is getting worse.... well u get the idea. I cantbelieve this won 4 awards. there a fake, going no where plot. The actors have no feeling for there roles. Their just them going through the motions. I found huge hole in the way things happen. Why did the writer guy who had a relationship with Lane. find it strange that she didn't visit her friend in hospital. I understand she was have problems coping with the accident. but its what u do, isn't it?(visit your friends when their sick) I found this movie strange and feel like it was all mess up story wise.

I was impressed with Allison Maclean's shirt film, "Kitchen Sink," and that was main motivation for checking out "Crush." Well, the film was hard to find and it wasn't worth the wait. It's slow, boring and barely intrigued me. Marcia Gay Harden is always great, but she couldn't breathe life into this nearly comatose flick. The director obviously wasn't concerned with pacing.

There's not too many bad things I can say artistic-wise. It's simply one of those artsy, pretentious films that disguises dullness as subtlety. The plot doesn't contain any surprises. The premise is far from original. So what's the point?

Cristina and Lane are on a car trip through New Zealand, driving to meet a famous author with whom Cristina has scheduled an interview. Their interactions suggest that they have not seen each other in a long time and that there is some emotional disconnection. They get in a horrible car accident. Cristina is severely injured, but Lane (Marcia Gay Harden) is only mentally shaken by the accident. She stumbles away from the scene, and the next time we see her is at the home of the author. She assumes Cristina's identity and quickly forms an intimate bond with the author's daughter, Angela. Soon, she finds that Cristina survived the accident and is in the hospital. She comes clean about her identity and succeeds in seducing the author, and decides to stay awhile. But Angela is a bit jealous that she has lost her new friend (and crush?) to her father, and starts going to visit Cristina as she recovers in the hospital and a warped little triangle forms.

This New Zealand film is a fantastic piece of neo-noir! It is gorgeously filmed to the point where it is impossible to take your eyes off the screen. Marcia Gay Harden is an extremely stylish and sexy femme fatale and gives a brilliant understated performance. Lane is one of the most compelling and perplexing antiheroes I've seen. Also noteworthy are Caitlin Bossley as Angela, the author's coming-of-age daughter, and Donogh Rees as Cristina, the recovering accident victim. These women all give award-worthy performances. The first twenty minutes or so after the accident are very confusing and make little sense (even after the end of the movie!) and the characters' motives are very confusing. But if you stick with the movie you will find the story captivating and very emotionally intense. It is really the story of a bizarre triangle formed between three women. First, we see it through the jumbled-yet-together perspective of Lane, then through the bitter and jealous perspective of Angela, and finally through the innocent but spiteful eyes of the wheelchair-bound Cristina.

The newly released DVD features a perfect transfer and contains a commentary by Maclean and Harden, as well as the horror short "Kitchen Sink." Recommended to fans of "Mulholland Dr." and "All Over Me." My Rating: 8/10.