| Fine Acting, and a Nice Slice-of-Life |
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| written by talltale |
September 18, 2005 - 7:24 AM PDT |
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2 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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"Slice-of-life" is a drama term one doesn't hear used much anymore. It surfaced, I think, in the 50s and came to fruition in the 60s. Sometimes mistaken for (and can actually work alongside) "kitchen-sink" drama, it probably has roots in playwriting, as it depends heavily on a strong grasp of character & dialog and is often family oriented. A recent and well-executed example of modern slice-of-life is writer/director Josh Sternfeld's WINTER SOLSTICE--which begins in the middle of things and ends rather abruptly with the happening of a much-anticipated/dreaded event.
In the less then 90-minute narrative, a half-dozen good actors (Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford, Mark Webber, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston and Michelle Monaghan) are given the chance to shine. They do, beautifully, in scenes that are a bit elliptical and off-center but that delineate character remarkably well. If you've a taste for quiet (sometimes quite moving) reality, give this one a shot. |
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