Elephant Song (2014)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Perfect cast and a good story

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

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

Admirable film that doesn't hide its theatrical origins. That's fine if you love good acting but the dialogue is often unconvincing. (viewed 4/17)

''Elephant Song'' is a rather unusual drama. Despite a rather predictable story, an unnecessarily twisted plot development and a few vapid side stories going nowhere with at best average actors and actresses, this movie is still recommendable and one of the better genre flicks of the past years. This is due to two precise elements. First of all, the movie has a numbing, nostalgic and deject atmosphere that serves as intriguing guide line. The soundtrack, the settings and the most important characters all add to this. This movie has a soul and a universe that is perhaps a little bit antiquated but still emotionally intriguing.The second and most important reason why this movie works so well is the outstanding acting performance by Xavier Dolan. He plays a fascinating character who tries to be so unpredictable that it becomes predictable, who pretends to be crazy and evil even though he knows that he is very sane and kind at heart and who ends up trying to be rational and honest even though he still is irrationally emotional and cleverly dishonest for one very precise reason. This character and this actor make an otherwise at best average or even slightly below average flick an above average psycho drama. Even though Xavier Dolan is essentially known as a young and promising French-Canadian director, I hope he will focus on his acting career as well since this is where he really shines.If you are looking for an atmospheric and slow-paced psycho drama with a fascinating main character, this is one of the best films of its kind of the decade. If you are looking for a clever plot and a diversified film, you will though end up being disappointed. With a better script and a more skilled director, Xavier Dolan could be a realistic candidate for an Academy Award for Best Actor in the near future.

It's 1966. Psychiatrist Toby Green (Bruce Greenwood) talks to patient Michael Aleen (Xavier Dolan) who is supposed to have information on missing colleague Dr. Lawrence. Michael claims to be white elephant and keeps talking about elephants. He plays a cat-and-mouse game with Dr. Green and head nurse Susan Peterson (Catherine Keener). Green and Peterson used to be married until the lost of their daughter Rachel. Green faces a strained home life with Olivia (Carrie-Anne Moss) and autistic niece Amy. The head doctor interviews both Green and Peterson about Michael.Xavier Dolan does an interesting job and Greenwood is good. The story needs a bit more meat. Toby's home life needs a little more clarification especially with Olivia and Amy. The mystery with Lawrence gets defused too early. After the security guard and police claim to have seen Lawrence, the tension to find him almost disappears completely. The story needs to pace out and create more twists and reveals.

Well, I didn't know what to expect, it was a lazy rainy Sunday afternoon today and so I turned this on. It couldn't have been less interesting. Slow pace. Under-dynamic performances from the never-any-inflection in his voice actor who plays Dr. Greene.... is he capable of an expression or only just that blank stare and monotone voice. I didn't hate the movie, I wasn't planning on doing anything really productive today anyway, but now I think I'm more asleep than when I started. Boring! An almost interesting performance from the 'patient', I can't be bothered to waste any more time today looking up the actor's names. He slipped out of character a few times, lost momentum and broke a convincing portrayal that devolved into overly melodramatic theatrics. Maybe better carried out on the stage, however it's hard not to go overboard playing opposite someone with no expression of any kind. Almost as if he was taking on the responsibility of both actors.I didn't like it. I didn't hate it. I wouldn't recommend it.