In many ways - certainly in the most important ones - "An Unremarkable Life" is a convincing film. On the flipside to that, there's a level of depth that was possibly unattainable for the director. There are times when the approach feels like more of a TV movie type than a purely artistic one. But it is a surprising engaging story. The script explores the guilts, fears, hopes, loves, and prejudices of three elderly people (played by Neal, Winters, and Mako). It's the relationships of these characters and the performances of the actors playing them which makes this film so convincing. Also, Charles S. Dutton is great in a small part.
It's not many films that create that elusive feeling of reality, the quiet moments and movements of real people and the world they live in. Alan Hall's cinematography is warm, and captures the quiet Autumn scenes perfectly. The problems and worries of the characters draw you in, make you feel the same difficulties and make the same hard decisions. Winters brings it all together in a later scene when she laments her "most unremarkable life". Her performance is so heartbreaking, so true, it's hard to express it.
This film is available on DVD, but it's a grainy print and cut down from widescreen. I feel a proper release would give this film the edge of feeling and realness it deserves.
It's not many films that create that elusive feeling of reality, the quiet moments and movements of real people and the world they live in. Alan Hall's cinematography is warm, and captures the quiet Autumn scenes perfectly. The problems and worries of the characters draw you in, make you feel the same difficulties and make the same hard decisions. Winters brings it all together in a later scene when she laments her "most unremarkable life". Her performance is so heartbreaking, so true, it's hard to express it.
This film is available on DVD, but it's a grainy print and cut down from widescreen. I feel a proper release would give this film the edge of feeling and realness it deserves.