At Any Price

It's a story where the characters aren't sympathetic and seem to create all their own problems. None of their problems are all that involving either. So what's to care about? The script is poorly structured taking to long to set up the situation while at the same time failing to set up some key characters that come into play in the rushed final part of the film.

Quaid is very good, sometimes a bit mannered though he's supposed to be playing a kind of obnoxious salesman so that's part of the film can be accepted as being done on purpose. I heard the director speak after a preview screening and he mentioned the influences that kind of create the problem with the film. DEATH OF A SALESMAN meets THE LAST PICTURE SHOW with some Robert Altman thrown in. If you know either of these classic pieces of writing you might guess this isn't up to either of those standards and it's not. If you don't know those films it won't make it a better film. The film wastes too much time setting up the characters all of whom are unlikable selfish jerks for much of the film. The key dramatic incident comes too late--and won't be revealed here--and is left dangling at the films end. The one son, played with no depth, by Zac seems to be the focus of the story for too long and then is kind of pushed back and other characters take over. Aside from him there is little to fault with any of the acting.

One other key character, Quaid's Dad, appears out of nowhere in the film--you'll actually think he's been dead for years and years the way people talk about him until he suddenly shows up, and Heather Graham's character just pops up and pops out of the story with little logic aside from some kind of possible sexual interest, though there is no nudity in the film and the story doesn't go in that direction ultimately. Both of these characters need more thought on a screenplay level.

Some odd details here and there successfully touch on Robert Altman but those are just minor details of how modern farming works amid a messy script.

There is just little to hold your interest for far too long in the screenplay. Digital photography is OK but has a bit of a video edge to it and doesn't do the actors any favors in close up either. The film could use more and a better music score. The film ultimately is forgettable.

At Any Price (2012)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Ramin Bahrani's latest deals with farmer Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) who sees himself in trouble over the family business but he also finds his relationship with his youngest son (Zac Efron) slipping away. Both men appear to be wanting something they can't have and after a tragic accident their love for one another is tested. AT ANY PRICE certainly contains some good performances and it's heart is certainly in the right place but if you take away the profanity you're actually left with something that probably wouldn't be workable as a TV movie. Director Bahrani clearly wanted to make a simple film about simple people in a bad situation due to greed and there's no question that he wanted to give out a message but sadly his screenplay is just too simple for its own good. If you've ever seen a family drama in your life then I think it's going to be pretty easy to see every twist and turn in the story coming a mile away. You know that the father is eventually going to realize that he isn't a great father. You know that the son is going to hurt those around him. You know the two are going to have to have something happen that brings them together. Even the supporting characters are all rather predictable and especially the entire subplot dealing with someone turning Whipple in for illegal activities. Again, there's no question that the director had his heart in the right place but sadly there's just not enough here to keep the viewer entertained or at least caught up in everything going on. Quaid turns in one of his best performances in years as he does a very good job and especially during the scenes where he's trying to sell his skill. The character is certainly a flawed human and Quaid does a very good job at showing his good side as well as his bad. Efron continues to impress with these independent films and he too is good in his part. Clancy Brown, Kim Dickens, Red West and Heather Graham are all good in their supporting roles but it's Maika Monroe who easily steals the film in her part. AT ANY PRICE still contains some mild appeal to make it worth viewing if you're a fan of the cast members but there's no question that it needed a richer screenplay to make everything work.

Writer/Director Rahim Bahrani, responsible for the indie hit, Goodbye Solo (2008) puts some of his best cinematic qualities to use in his newest film At Any Price starring Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron. Bahrani's take on mid-western culture is at times fascinating though has many instances of feeling like a Lifetime movie of the week. Layered with narrative vices and escalating tension, the true savior of the film is the powerhouse performance by Quaid.

Telling the story of the Whipple's, a farming family whose agriculture business is threatened by an impending investigation of their fields and the procedures they follow. In the midst of the ordeal, the relationship of a father and his rebellious son (Efron) is tested to their max. Bahrani's interpretation of modern-day Iowa and the communities that surround is an interesting examination of American values that he respectfully caresses however; he does tend to lean on the clichéd dialogue of family melodrama with short cuts and unrealistic story developments that don't do him or his characters any favors. Dennis Quaid is an interesting anomaly of an actor that hasn't made his due with the major awards. After fearlessly diving into a character that's self-centered, wretched, and downright degrading, Quaid outdoes most of his earlier works of cinema. The journey that he takes pitiful Henry down is a testament to his dedication to the craft. Magnificently portrayed and later moderately redeemed, the performance stands as one of the best turns of the Tribeca Film Festival and the first quarter of 2013.

Zac Efron is a horse of a different color. Efron has struggled in his attempts to serious acting like last year's The Paperboy (2012) and Charlie St. Cloud (2010). Efron puts forth his best effort as an actor so far as the young, rebellious Dean. He's going through an interesting transition as Efron is discovering his abilities and becoming aware of his boundaries as an actor. Dean lets loose when he needs to and still gives off a sex appeal that doesn't feel forced and very much accessible for the viewer.

Co-stars Heather Graham has seemed to have gotten stuck in the same, type-casted, underdeveloped female role that doesn't hint at any of the promises that were made in when she came into our cinematic minds in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997). Newcomer Maika Monroe shows hints of promise in her limited role but is held back by contrived conversations and confined emotional abilities. It's also great to see veteran actor Clancy Brown still delivering strong work in his later years. A brief but memorable turn that reminds us about the talents of a wonderful character actor.

Overall, the story is respectable and tolerable. Bahrani is a noble director that may be able to shine in brighter and more ambitious projects in the future. The true gem of the picture lies in the multi- dimensional performance of Dennis Quaid and the surprising effectiveness of Zac Efron. Cinematographer Michael Simmonds also manages to acquire some graceful and ravishing shots of the serene farmlands of American agriculture. A technical merit worthy of a mention. A commendable and skilled work.

At Any Price is simply gratifying. A must-see of the Tribeca Film Festival. Check out the trailer below. The film opens in theaters on April 24th.

Sometimes, a movie character's stress is so all-encompassing and so consuming in his or her world that you begin to feel it in your own world, regardless of whether or not you've experience what they're going through. Director Ramin Bahrani, if nothing else, articulates internal conflicts and mental pressure beautifully in his latest offering At Any Price, a landmark in his film career as it is the most mainstream release a film of his has gotten and I'm sure numerous people still haven't heard about it.

This is my introduction to Bahrani's work as a feature film director. His short film, simply titled "Paper Bag," was, hear me out, a twenty minute long film focusing on a listless paper bag that would travel by the way of the wind and would encounter numerous animals and obstacles along the way. The short was narrated by iconic actor and director Werner Herzog and possessed such an absurdist beauty about it that was equal parts whimsical and heartwarming. I couldn't recommend it enough.

The film stars Dennis Quaid as Henry Whipple, owner of more than 3,000 acres of farmland in Iowa and the proud inheritor of Liberty Seeds, a company that sells and utilizes genetically-modified seeds. Henry hopes one day he'll be able to pass on the farm to his young son, like his dad did to him. However, his son Dean (Zac Efron) shows no interest in inheriting the farm, and sets his sights on being a race-car driver, competing in local events statewide in order to obtain money to perhaps make it that far. He is given encouragement by Cadence (Maika Monroe), his sort-of girlfriend, even though he begins to write her off as his aspirations begin to seemingly evolve into something. In need of help, with competition in the contemporary agriculture world increasing and the possibility of a scandal on Liberty Seeds becoming others' knowledge, Henry takes Cadence underneath his wing as an intern and introduces her to the world, while simultaneously trying to combat it.

It's clear that Bahrani didn't just want to use Iowa farmlands as a backdrop for his story. Him and co-writer Hallie Elizabeth Newton admirably immerse themselves into the culture of competitive agriculture, and show audiences through board-meetings, shady deals, and family dialog just how stressful of an environment this is. But what At Any Price's ultimate goal is lies on how it portrays the search for values and morality when money and company-placement is what it all boils down to. This isn't a tiresome trudge through morality in terms of how each right and wrong is rewarded, but rather it's about the choices we make and how we want to be seen by others. Henry seems like he once started out as an honest, moral man of his word, but now, he possesses the transparency, the attitude, and the fake smile akin to that of a politician. His son Dean is lost in the idea of trying to find himself when his father is not showing the characteristics of a role model or a caring member of his family. He worries about position and what the public thinks they know about him. This leads Dean to do things in the film he will later regret, if he chooses to reconnect with the path of kinder humanism.

A story like this is only levied by performances, and thankfully the likes of Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron offer remarkably maturing ones. Quaid is an actor somewhat like Nicolas Cage and Robert De Niro in the way he chooses sometimes completely asinine film roles that clearly do not challenge him in ways we love to seem him challenged. But every so often, Quaid - like Cage and De Niro - will choose an offbeat film role and knock it out of the park. Scarcely has stress on a film character been so evident and relatable and this is thanks to a performance of remarkable quality by Quaid. Efron, as well, after hanging in the teen-girl crowd for a bit too long with films like High School Musical, 17 Again, and Charlie St. Cloud that, while maybe fun on an escapist level, do not give him the appropriate amount of human leverage he deserves. In At Any Price, he evokes a much more mature persona than we've seen him, and if he can't tolerate the lack of limelight and publicity a film like this brings, I see no reason why he wouldn't continue to do films like these.

This is one the heaviest character-pieces I've come across this year. Not a lot happens in the film, but what does is subtle and strong in terms of furthering an encompassing theme. The film could be mistaken for sending mixed signals due to its unfocused nature, be a bit impulsive with some plot-strands not developing enough, and be criticized as too methodical because of several scenes relying on time passing and location. I agree with all of these points on some level, but feel the large majority of criticism has missed the mark because it doesn't give the film credit for attempting to articulate something that is greatly becoming grayer and grayer and that is what we, as humans, value in life. We like to think of ourselves as kind, gentle people, but when several outlets bombard us with dehumanizing stereotypes, images of pure cruelty, and the degradation of a moral compass and an increase in narcissistic, arrogant importance - especially in American culture - it's becoming a bit disconcerting in how nihilistic and careless we have become as a whole. At Any Price tries to magnify this concern, but on a much smaller scale, and remarkably succeeds in some very difficult aspects - especially considering it features a story that can easily be written off as noneventful.

At Any Price shows the nasty little ordinary things we do to get us ahead of others, and the not so ordinary or little.

The good. It's a frank view of what industrial farmers go through in regards to GMOs. You also really get into the shoes of the father.

The actors. It's was difficult for me to see Dennis Quaid, who usually plays heroic figures, if only family ones at time, give life to such a flawed character. To his credit, he did it very well.

The bad. There's a number of scenes where we don't relate very well to what's happening. The director doesn't make us feel or understand what's on the screen.

Ugly. Lack of depth in most secondary characters. The B and C stories are too thin.