Well, filmmakers should aim high, they say. And Richard Kelly shot the moon on his highly-anticipated follow-up to cult sensation Donnie Darko, which expands the apocalyptic mood of that movie and blows it up tenfold. Set ... more »during the election season of 2008, Southland Tales proposes a series of apparently linked events: the reappearance of a vanished movie star (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), now an amnesiac; the bizarre doubling of a policeman (Seann William Scott in two roles); the development of an energy source from ocean waves; and the presence of an Iraq War veteran (Justin Timberlake) who seems to be watching everything, and narrating some of it. Not that the narration helps; even with voice-over (reportedly added after the film's disastrous debut at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival), Southland Tales doesn't come close to making sense, let alone at the minimum level of dangling a carrot to lead the audience along (even Mulholland Drive had a semblance of murder mystery to be solved, or not). The cast is loaded with Saturday Night Live cut-ups, but only Jon Lovitz connects, and in other roles people like Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christopher Lambert, Bai Ling, and John Larroquette are utterly mystifying, by no fault of their own. In some of the musical sequences Kelly gets in stride, but it's easy to create drama in a three-minute music video, and harder to do over two and a half hours. Some top critics rushed to champion the movie, as though flying in the face of philistinism, so feel free to try out this incoherent pastiche for yourself. --Robert Horton« less
Rachel W. from DELANSON, NY Reviewed on 4/13/2011...
This movie was bizzarre, yet interesting. It had a lot of big stars in it. Very hard to follow what was really going on. Definately a movie i have to watch again to get a better understanding of it. Left me feeling like i missed the point, or maybe ther really isnt one. I dont even know how to classify this movie. Drama? Comedy? Sci fi? Action? a bit of everything. Too chopped up to be able to put the pieces together. Not a bad movie, just ??????
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Donna M. (charmedig) from SWEETWATER, TN Reviewed on 1/23/2011...
I couldnt wait to watch this movie and when I finally watched it, I was totally disappointed with it. The movie was disjointed, it seemed out of order to me and made very little sense. I was so hoping to enjoy it.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Chad B. (abrnt1) from CABERY, IL Reviewed on 2/23/2010...
One disjointed and confusing film. Nothing about this movie is enjoyable in any way, shape, or form. It's an incoherent experiment in excess from a director who's quickly becomming the master of this type of drek (Donnie Darko is almost as bad). The film seems to have no real idea what it's about. Perfect example of what's wrong with the so-called independent film.
3 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Rebecca S. Reviewed on 10/27/2008...
As someone who was knocked out by Donnie Darko, I had high hopes for this second feature by the same writer / director. I, like many other viewers, came away greatly disappointed. While the film has moments (Justin Timberlake's musical number and John Lovits spouting dialog from Philip K. Dick novels, for instance) the overly convoluted plot and The Rock's constant mugging for the camera quickly become irksome. My best advice, skip this one and check out Alpha Dog instead. Not only does Timberlake take his shirt off, but the SOB can really act.