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I’ve no idea why so many indie filmmakers think that just because they’re shooting on video they don’t need to keep the thing steady. Has anyone heard of a tripod? Maybe a dolly? And the novelty of long uninterrupted takes wears off real soon when you’re using acting talent that isn’t really very talented.

Look, I know it’s tough to make a movie on a shoestring budget, but that’s no excuse for laziness. Maybe I’m way off the mark and that was the effect the filmmakers were looking for, but it sure as heck looked like this was a run’n’gun quickie with a screenplay that needed a lot of work.

The one shining light is Kirsten Russell as the beleaguered wife. She doesn’t put out an Oscar winning performance, but she’s totally respectable, believable and willing to give it all for the role. As for the rest of the cast, Clint Jordan sports one confused expression for the entire film as the husband having issues, Dudley Findlay Jr doesn’t stink as the amateur hitman, and Anthony Howard is occasionally amusing as the weirdo wifely backroom bonk, but mostly he’s just naked. Disturbingly naked.

Writer/director Joe Maggio is no hack, in fact he took Sundance by storm not long ago with Virgil Bliss, but that might be one of the reasons why Milk and Honey just doesn’t hit the mark – because you expect more in almost every department.

A late movie twist involving a disappearing and reappearing strip of photos doesn’t succeed to delivering the last minute twist that’s become the style du jour since The Sixth Sense, and a musical score by Hal Hartley isn’t a great addition to proceedings since there’s barely any score to be heard for 80% of the flick. I tried to like Milk and Honey and there are probably plenty who’ll give it a nice golf clap, but I’m not one of their number. As a debut feature I might have let it off with a middling review, but as a follow-up to a far better feature, this just doesn’t pass muster.

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originally posted: 01/19/03 22:12:56
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