Rating of
3/4
Rudd and Hirsch Make Avalanche Exceptional
Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/10/13
David Gordon Green shot Prince Avalanche in just 16 days. Yet watching Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch on screen - you would think the two had spent far more time together. The strength of this film is based entirely on the connection between Rudd and Hirsch, and the two give an amazing performance that elevates this film to the next level.
Essentially we follow Alvin (Rudd) and Lance (Hirsch) as they work on a highway during the summer of 1988. Lance is the brother of the woman Alvin is dating and it's clear the two don't see eye to eye. Alvin is trying to learn German - planning for an upcoming trip, and he is the type of person who thinks he's always right - even when it couldn't be further from the truth. Meanwhile, Lance is the immature slacker - more worried about his next conquest than what life has in store. But each of the two are going to have to face their shortcomings before the film ends - and both will walk away with a new view on life.
The film relies on the two actors to carry it, but there is more. Little touches - paint running down a stream, interactions with a truck driver and a woman picking through the burnt-out shell of her former home and coping with loneliness (in different ways) - the cinematography is just as good as the actors. The movie may be a bit slow for some viewers, but if you want something different than mindless action and sophomoric humor - Prince Avalanche gives you something to think about while delivering a pair of outstanding performances.
This is the type of film that is overlooked because of its limited theatrical run and more somber story. It's the way things go, but for those familiar with the more indie work of Green (All the Real Girls, Undertow) this is a film that shouldn't be passed up.
