A young ex-con struggles to put his life in order after being released from prison in Matthew Porterfield’s gritty but rather shapeless drama. Keith (McCaul Lombardi) is on probation, living with his alternately sympathetic and exasperated father Carol (Jim Belushi) in the titular Baltimore working-class neighborhood. Some of his old friends prod him to rejoin their drug-selling gang, but he halfheartedly looks into taking a course in air-conditioner repair instead. He also tries (unsuccessfully) to make amends to his erstwhile girlfriend, flirts with a young student, and befriends a high-strung addict who has an abusive boyfriend. Keith has a soulful reunion with his elderly grandmother and enjoys a few brief visits with his sister and her kids, while also talking to a former gang leader who advises him to follow a code of conduct that includes dignity and self-respect. But Keith ultimately fails to resolve the contradictory impulses buffeting him around, and seems as close to reverting to his old life of crime as he is to embarking on a more hopeful path. The performances are excellent (with Belushi in an unexpectedly affecting turn as the frustrated father), and Porterfield expertly captures the atmosphere of a city in economic decline, but Sollers Point is also somewhat meandering and episodic. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Sollers Point
Oscilloscope, 102 min., R, DVD: $34.99, Blu-ray: $39.99, Sept. 25 Volume 33, Issue 6
Sollers Point
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: