Undertow

The earlier films of young writer-director David Gordon Green, George Washington and All the Real Girls, exhibited a poetic visual sense but a distinct lack of narrative backbone; despite moments of genuine beauty, they tended to meander and overstay their welcome. This third effort, set against an indeterminate Southern landscape, has an equally dreamlike quality, but the story--a mixture of coming-of-age tale, chase, and meditation on the meaning of family, happiness, and death--offers a stronger, more satisfying structure. To be sure, the plot--about two brothers on the run from their evil uncle, who has killed their father and is now trying to track them down and retrieve a cache of gold coins--is largely derived from the brilliant The Night of the Hunter, Charles Laughton's 1955 adaptation of Davis Grubb's novel, but Undertow also showcases some exceptional performances: Josh Lucas, known mostly as a light comedian, shifts gears adeptly, striking a truly menacing pose as the malevolent uncle, while Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell not only nails the American drawl but makes the older of the two boys a genuinely sympathetic figure. Like Green's previous pictures, Undertow offers a succession of haunting, almost hallucinatory images, but unlike the others, this one adds a rich narrative full of depth and mystery. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director David Gordon Green and star Jamie Bell, a behind-the-scenes documentary (28 min.) with an optional intro by costar Josh Lucas, a pair of deleted scenes (7 min.), a photo gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid film.] (F. Swietek)