At Any Price

This film tells the story of a seed seller whose life is turned upside down due to a series of devastating events.

"At Any Price" tells a touching story about a man striving to achieve at work. He does not put as much effort into his family, and his family falls apart. It is touching to see the wife hoping to do something to reconcile the situation, but sad that she is quickly dismissed by the husband. Then, one thing after another, the family's problems spirals out of control. Denis Quaid is great as a troubled father, while Zac Efron is surprisingly good and is convincing as a rebellious son.

The situation towards the end is very touching for a prolonged period. For many minutes I was touched to the verge of tears. The story is a big tragedy, and I was really feeling the family's pain and guilt. One can only hope there is sunshine after the rain. I hope there would be a sequel about redemption and atonement.

I nearly wept at the end of this movie, over all the acting talent gone totally to waste on this dumb little story. It is more than dumb; it doesn't make any sense. I think that one scene sums up the problems this film creates for itself and then fails to solve. One of the characters (it doesn't even matter which one) breaks into a store by shooting a handgun through the window. When the window conveniently falls into a billion pieces, the character leaps through the open space and steals some stuff. Then he and his pal and girlfriend roar off, tires squealing. The event is presaged by nothing and leads to nothing. One is left only with a sense of mystification that anyone (even a film director) would think that a logical way to commit a burglary would be to shoot out the front window of a store with a gun. The rest of film is like that. One silly contrivance piled on another to create a nonsensical melodrama.

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.

Not impressive. But more than good. That kind of film about family, values, expectation of father and the option of sons who seems traditional but it is real useful for remind, in simple and precise manner, elementary things. Dennis Quaid did a great job and Zac Efron sustain in nice way his Dean. But, sure, Kim Dickens , giving the fair traits to Irene Whipple is admirable.A film about competition, ambition and wisdom. And, in my case, Clancy Brown presence was a good return to the years of Carnivale. So, a honest story.

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.