Middle of Nowhere (2008)

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Middle of Nowhere is an independent film and another example of a dark comedy that tries too hard to be funny. They had a weak storyline, but a very strong cast, and I felt it was a film that could have easily been a lot better. Dorian (Anton Yelchin) is a spoiled kid, who never had to work a day in his life. After yet another rebellious act against his parents, the seventeen year old is sent to live with his uncle for the summer. He starts working at the local water park, where he meets Grace (Eva Amurri), a girl who is his complete opposite. She is desperate to earn money for school and Dorian is looking to act out, so the two decide they can both achieve their goals by selling pot together. The story doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me, because the characters are nothing like they describe themselves to be. Dorian is rich and only there for a couple of months, he doesn't need the money, so why take the risk? Grace, she's always had to be the mature one, taking charge of her family, but we don't see her do that at all. The film is definitely a bit strange, while at the same time being somewhat slow and predictable, but what makes it worth seeing is Anton Yelchin. The Russian born, former child actor, has such charisma and really thrives in roles like this. If you saw Charlie Bartlett, then you know exactly what I am talking about. Yelchin is on another level, outgoing, energetic, quick witted, he's the kid in this film, but as it would turn out, he's also the smartest one of all. Yelchin's personality is larger than life and he will completely draw you in, sadly, other than his performance, this film wasn't much of anything. The story is predictable, the humor is dry, and the rest of the cast really wasn't anything special.

Middle of Nowhere is a coming of age comedy about friends, family and the struggles that come along with that. We meet the protagonist, Dorian Spitz (Anton Yelchin) in the opening scene getting stoned. He is rebellious and witty, like Matthew Broderick in 1986. Initially I thought I was getting into another Charlie Bartlett which although I enjoyed, felt like the genre was a little worn out. I knew this was going to be different as I got further in. We soon meet Grace (Eva Amurri) who is at the loan office trying her hardest to sweet talk her way around thousands of dollars in credit card debt to get a student loan to go to college in the Fall. She blames the debt on her mother, Rhonda (Susan Sarandon), stating that after her father died her mother needed the money. We are then brought back to Dorian, his parents have high expectations that he feels he doesn't need to meet and this is presumably the motive for his actions. Dorian lands a job at a water park where he meets Grace and puts forth a great amount of effort to get to know. She needs money for school and he needs money to break off his dependence from his parents. Being without a vehicle he is forced to walk everywhere and buys a ride from Grace for $100. They make a few different stops and Grace finds out that he is selling weed and being the straight edge that she is drives off, leaving him at gas station. Grace later realizes that selling pot would be her best bet on paying for school. Grace and Dorian team up for a series of drug runs. Dorian meets Grace's younger sister, Taylor (Willa Holland) when they pick her up. Like Grace, Taylor also struggles with their mother. Taylor is being forced into starting a modeling career. Grace meets Ben Pretzler (Justin Chatwin)at the water park and they form a relationship of lust. Dorian is jealous because he begins to form feelings for Grace all while Taylor forms feelings for Dorian. As the story progresses, we find Grace, Taylor and Dorian struggling with family issues but forming a friendship through it. This is a drama-comedy about love, drugs, money, lust, suicide, family and friends. What looks like the formation of a nasty love triangle turns into a beautiful friendship between a lonely non- conformist and two sisters brought together by tragedy and angst.

Can you believe John Stockwell, director, from Galveston, is almost 50? I first saw him in the TV movie "Quarterback Princess" with Helen Hunt almost 30 years ago. I generally like his direction, and one of his better ones was "Blue Crush." His films have a very realistic feel to them and "Middle of Nowhere" feels very realistic. Shot in the Baton Rouge area, including some scenes on the Mississippi River levee, the story is about a group of teenagers trying to navigate into young adulthood. Eva Amurri (Susan Sarandon's real-life daughter) is Grace, almost 19 and intending on going to medical school. Grace is a very serious teenager, but is hampered by $35Thousand in credit card debt that her mother ran up in Grace's name after dad killed himself. So having no other choice she is working at the local water park for the summer. Mom is not very sympathetic or helpful to her cause. There are a number of serious mother-daughter issues.Anton Yelchin as Dorian Spitz has a different set of issues. He is adopted and at 17 really doesn't want to follow into the family business as an undertaker. He is working at the water park also, but for a different reason, as a cover for his real enterprise, selling high-quality cannabis to a variety of locals. In fact he has an ingenious cover, he shows up with Starbucks cups in a tray, at a home or a business or on a golf course, to deliver the product, collecting his money in the exchange.Dorian has been put on foot for the summer as a punishment so he befriends Grace, who has a car. She is very reluctant at first but, coming to the realization that she needs money quite a bit faster than the water park job can supply it, takes an interest in the enterprise. She goes into a partnership with Dorian, as his driver, and they will split profits 50:50.As we might imagine not everything goes smoothly, they get themselves into some tight situations, and boyfriend/girlfriend issues between the two of them and others also complicates things. And overall it is a good movie, a study of teenage characters trying to make it into young adulthood.Also good is Willa Holland, who was about 16, as Grace's 15-year-old sister Taylor Elizabeth Berry. As well as the mother, Susan Sarandon as Rhonda Berry. And the other boyfriend candidate, Justin Chatwin as Ben Pretzler.The golf course scenes were filmed at The Island golf community in Plaquemine about 14 miles from downtown Baton Rouge.

This was definitely a well acted movie. It had all the fixings; it made me laugh and even managed to make my eyes water. Sarandon is the household name, but Yelchin and Amurri steal the show. The story clearly revolves around them. They come from different worlds at first, but seem to come to an understanding after all is said and done. There are many different themes in this movie, and they all play a part in developing each character. However only the two main actors (Yelchin and Amurri) really have the chance to showcase their talents. Also, this movie made me realize that Yelchin maybe in the movie business for a long, long time.Definitely worth a watch. Enjoy.