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A coming-of-age story set in a vast, cross-country landscape, Arcadia begins when twelve-year-old Greta's dad Tom (Academy Award nominated actor John Hawkes) wakes her up before dawn and crams her and her two siblings into a dented station wagon. They set off on a 3,000 mile journey from the New England woods to the California desert. On the way, Tom tells enchanting stories, paints pictures of a California paradise, and assures the kids that Mom will soon join them. Greta believes him at first, mesmerized by the strange new scenery and clinging to her stuffed bunny Harrison. Older sister Caroline nonchalantly accepts his stories, more focused on the boyfriend she's leaving behind. And nine-year-old Nat, too young to suspect a thing, is eager to see the epic Grand Canyon. But Tom's mood shifts as often as the landscape outside their window, and the kids soon find themselves in increasingly unpleasant and even dangerous situations. Mom's presence seems to recede further with every mile they travel. (c) Film Movement
Rating
NR
Director
Olivia Silver
Studio
Film Movement
Writer
Olivia Silver
- Very well acted little road film. Father moves to California with three kids in tow while dealing with serious issues. It starts all joyous while the truths are slowly unwound during the travel. The whole thing is so well acted and truly made, it feels like we are there and maybe lived some bits of it. Love pervades it and we feel every bit of heart breaks. But everyone gets to grow up from these. (Still not a reason to litter your stuffed animals. Be modern.)Reply
- Very well acted little road film. Father moves to California with three kids in tow while dealing with serious issues. It starts all joyous while the truths are slowly unwound during the travel. The whole thing is so well acted and truly made, it feels like we are there and maybe lived some bits of it. Love pervades it and we feel every bit of heart breaks. But everyone gets to grow up from these. (Still not a reason to litter your stuffed animals. Be modern.)Reply
- Limited.....that would be the one word I'd use to descibe this movie....limited all the way around.Reply
- Une chronique intimiste d'une famille dysfonctionnelle qui prend dans un road trip incertain une dimension initiatique. Pour un premier long, Olivia Silver demontre une etonnante maitrise du relationnel de ses personnages, ainsi qu'une finesse remarquable dans la direction d'acteur, la justesse de sa realisation. Elle a tout d'une grande incontestablement prometteuse. John Hawks confirme qu'il est un acteur genial qui excelle dans les roles d'hommes troubles sur la breche emotionnelle. Le prodige americain est parfaitement soutenu par le jeune casting avec mention Pour Ryan Simpkins parfaite en pre ado en devenir. Un petit joyau peaufine jusqu'a la soundtrack de The Low Anthem qui rythme l'equipee.Reply
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- The story is too slight to go the full distance of 3,000 miles cross-country without this viewer losing some interest.Reply
- Ms. Silver's ability to translate the liminal into cinematic terms, to catch those moments between innocence and knowing, childhood and adulthood, unforgiving and forgiving, makes her someone to watch.Reply