I saw this movie solely because Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Fairuza Balk are in it, but it turned out to be worthwhile on its own merit. Of course, the performances by Rhys-Meyers and Balk do help. The crime story angle of it isn't terribly interesting. Whooo, lotsa shooting and squealing tires. (Yawn) The story of a teenager idling in life and waiting for it to happen to him rings true, though. Modine makes a sufficiently oily criminal trying to extend the "family business." The sequence where Josh finds out what happened to their parents is unnecessarily overblown, but it was bearable. Balk is, as usual, a hidden gem. Mary Louise Parker I didn't even recognize for a while, and her character seemed to be a plot device, but she did fairly well. I was floored watching Rhys-Meyers, thinking all the while "THIS is Brian Slade from 'Velvet Goldmine'??? Without the makeup and with his natural hair he looks at least five years younger, and it strikes you "heh, he's just a kid." One that can act, I've decided. His American accent is perfect, tinny and hollow and more authentic-sounding than those of some of the real Americans in the movie. I've rarely if ever heard a foreigner evoke so perfect an imitation of American speech. Anyway, this is a worthwhile movie. A little generic sometimes, but overall it's very decent. Ignore the misleading video box, but watch for the humorous parts, like when Rhys-Meyers gets pulled over by his dream girl in blue for running a stop sign.
Review of The Maker
