USA, 2004
Director: Jordan Roberts
Score: **

First-time directors often develop their personal experiences into their first film. For AROUND THE BEND writer-director Jordan Roberts, the absentee father he hardly knew forms the basis of this triple layered father/son redemption story. Great grandfather Henry (Oscar Winner Michael Caine) has planed something sinister for his son, Turner (Oscar winner Christopher Walken) who suddenly appears after a long period of time apparently to bond with his, Jason (Josh Lucas) who in turn has to look after his little boy, Zach (Jonah Bobo) as a result of a trial separation with his present wife.  Roberts turns the drama into a road trip KFC style. A trail leads the journeyers towards their goal.  In the process, Roberts offers the viewer a look at the rocky landscape of the Desert southwest, as if contrasting the uneven and heated exchanges that occur once too often between Turner and Jason.

But Roberts’ script leaves many unconvincing loose ends. Jason’s wife is conveniently left out of the picture to offer the men their play. Though Jason is supposedly a mild-mannered banker, there is no hint of his livelihood anywhere in the film. Henry knows when and where to quietly pass away (not a plot revelation here, as he does so early in the movie) and the script steers predictably towards its confrontational ending. Another flaw is Michael Caine’s English accent. No attempt has been made to cover or offer a reason for it. 

Though the film boasts two Oscar winners, Caine and Walken—they only provide okay performances. We have seen Caine much better before and Walken is Walken. Josh Lucas (THE HULK and WONDERLAND), Hollywood’s newest find is convincing enough as the muddled son.

The climatic confrontation between Walken and Lucas finally purges them of the kept inner demons. Though the action is effectively staged, one cannot help but wonder at the number of times films of this genre has taken this route. By inevitable comparison, one recent remarkable film about a father’s redemption is the Russian entry THE RETURN which takes a whole different route towards its goal. Now, that film was astounding. AROUND THE BEND has four generations and three relationships but the outcome is a barely mediocre film.

Review by Gilbert Seah.