Arcadia

I have been wanting to see Arcadia for some time, and with its recent reappearance on Amazon Prime, I was able to finally view it. I liked it, but it lacked. This is the type of indie-film that could rock one's smaller screen with its understated power and economy of dialogue and action. In movies such as this, the context and the subtext - what is not spoken - is what (could/should) drive the movie. Coming to mind - although it's been a while since I've seen it - is SHORT TERM 12, about a couple who works at a house for at-risk teens. The tone and the ambition of Arcadia seemed to strive for that elegance, but there wasn't much more than met the eye. The primary narrative device of questioning the father's (John Hawkes) motives was thin, instead of rich, and the growing pains and coming of age of Greta (Ryan Simpkins) was described more through plot more than confusion or grappling.

I liked it. There was the possibility of love. Not a must-see and preferable to watch if/when one is in the mood for a contemplative picture (even though this didn't inspire too much contemplation).