Anyone seen American Honey?

[kelber at mindspring.com]

I watched it last night, and though, at first, I was frustrated by the lack of any discernible plot or action (and it's a nearly 3-hour movie!), eventually, the naturalistic style drew me into the world.

I've liked everything I've seen of Andrea Arnold's - particularly her version of Wuthering Heights, which is much darker and more faithful to the book than the Olivier-Oberon version. After viewing Arnold's take, it's been hard to view the Hollywood version (which I've always loved) as anything but a fatuous costume drama.

In this movie, as in all previous, she continues to work on her own personal demons (see her biographical info on wikipedia), and I'm kind of ready for her to move on. But I think American Honey really taps into something uniquely American (Arnold is British). It's about rootless teens and neglected kids. These aren't Trump voters (though it all takes place in Trump's America) - they're completely removed from the voting process. It should be required viewing for Democrats. What do they have to offer young people who are disadvantaged, uneducated and adrift? 

The movie is ultimately sweet-natured - it's not a cautionary standard-issue kids, drugs and crime movie. And it definitely has some weaknesses - Shia La Beouf is the main one for me. He stands out, but not in a good way, in a superb cast of mostly unknowns whom Arnold recruited on beaches and in Walmart parking lots. But I highly recommend it.


Laura
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Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l