It could so easily have been dismissible juvenilia. Nostalgic ’80s references? Check. Nightmarish Lynchian visions? Check. A tortured youth driven to shake up his drab suburban life? Check, check and double-check.
Yet writer/director Richard Kelly's debut is anything but juvenile. The ’80s setting is mined for a smattering of sly laughs and the creepy, surreal touches are plotcentric rather than whimsical. The troubled-adolescent aspect, meanwhile, works thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance, which crackles with dark, stormy energy. And if you were bemused by the brain-bending ending, here’s the perfect opportunity for a second pass. Trust us, it works.
DVD Extras:
Of the extras on the Region One disc, only the trailers, photo gallery and commentaries make it onto this rental release. The Gyllenhaal/Kelly voice-over is excellent, offering plenty of insights (Kelly is explicit about the movie's meaning). But the cast-and-crew commentary (with Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Drew Barrymore and many more) is confusing. Still, it's a decent enough stopgap until the full retail package is released in May.
