User Reviews

Greetings again from the darkness. Tackling one of the great American novels is a difficult challenge for even the most seasoned film directors … and a dubious undertaking (at best) for a first-timer. Philip Roth won a Pulitzer Prize for his 1997 novel "American Pastoral", and there have been rumblings of a Hollywood production for more than a decade. It's somewhat surprising that the screen version is directed by first time director Ewan McGregor … with the Scottish actor also taking on the lead role of local Jersey boy and sports hero Seymour "Swede" Levov.

The story examines the cracks behind the façade of a seemingly perfect family … the sports hero marrying the beauty queen. Of course, there is always more going on within a family than most care to admit (at least that was the case in the days prior to Facebook). There's an early scene where Swede has introduced Dawn (Jennifer Connelly) to his father (Peter Riegert), and the philosophical and religious differences perfectly capture the changing times and mores from one generation to the next. Never has this been more true than the late 1960's and early 1970's … political and social upheaval were daily occurrences – and sometimes quite violent.

The first half of the movie is exceptionally well done and captures the essence of why the second half feels like a total decimation of everything Swede thought he had. He and Dawn's daughter Merry is beautiful and feisty and stutters … something that only enhances the anger she expresses and anguish she causes for her parents. Her innocent questions as a young child evolve into radical political beliefs and affiliations as she grows up.

Merry (ironically named) is by far the most interesting character in the story, but with the focus on Swede, Dakota Fanning only has brief moments that are worthy of her talent, and Dawn has only a few emotional moments that allow Ms. Connelly to flash the acting depth she hasn't shown in years. So much time and attention is devoted to Swede that the second half is a bit of a letdown and leaves too many details and questions unanswered.

John Romano's (The Lincoln Lawyer) adaptation of the American classic took a different direction than we might have preferred, but it's a thankless job since so many have considered this as unfilmable. McGregor shows a good eye as a director, though it's obvious this material needed a more experienced filmmaker at the helm. The great Alexandre Desplat provides a classy score … the piano pieces are especially well suited. Supporting work is solid from David Strathairn as narrator Nathan Zuckerman, Rupert Evans as Swede's brother, Molly Parker as Merry's therapist, Uzo Aduba as Swede's employee, and Valorie Curry as a misguided revolutionary. It's a reminder that family dynamics may be the most complex organism, and when blended with the volatile times of the Vietnam War, a generational gap should be expected … even if it's difficult and emotional to accept.

"Why does everyone say she did it when she couldn't have done it? She's been tricked and abducted." Seymour (McGregor) was an All-American sports star that was the most popular kid in college. He married a beauty queen and has the perfect life. They are ecstatic when their daughter Merry (Fanning) is born. Little by little Merry becomes more and more radical and passionate about the polarizing politics of the 60's. After the local post office is blown up and someone winds up dead Merry is the lone suspect. Now, Seymour puts his life on hold to find Merry and discover the truth. This is a very very good move, but it is not for everyone. The pacing is just in that awkward spot where if you are interested in the movie you will stick with it and enjoy the events. If you are on the fence the pacing will be just slow enough that many may bail on this. As for the movie itself, its very artsy and deep and important. This is a great character study and features the best acting of McGregor's career. The movie is dark, very allegorical and deserves a bigger audience than it will get. Overall, a very deep and thought provoking movie that will either be liked or shut off before its finished, depending on the person. I give this a high B.

American Pastoral a fine flashback look at the 60s and how the events of the day affected one upper middle class family. The father is Ewan MacGregor the star athlete who married teen beauty queen Jennifer Connelly and looked like they were heading for the golden future. They're from Newark and MacGregor now manages the family business which is a leather goods factory in Newark. But they move out to the suburbs of Morris County.

First off it's a mixed marriage with Jewish MacGregory marrying a Shiksa in Connelly. They have one child a daughter Dakota Fanning who growing up in the 60s sees what's going on around her and gets into some truly radical politics. Her parents are traditional liberal Democrats.

Something she does makes her a fugitive. The rest of the film is MacGregor and Connelly's agonized family traditions are blown apart. They want to understand their child and want her back. But that can never be.

This film is adapted from a Philip Roth novel and Roth drew his characters well as this was an era he and I both grew up in.

Besides the main characters I would single out Peter Riegert's performance as MacGregor's father and Valerie Curry who has embraced totally Weatherman style radicalism. Her scenes with MacGregor who is trying to find his fugitive daughter just crackle with intensity.

A real portrait of an era in America we're still trying to understand.

This film tells the story of a middle class family in the a United States of America in the sixties, when there were political turmoil and social unrests. A teenage girl turns radical, leaving behind a trail of destruction and regret.

I often have not liked films that are directed by actors or actresses. Hence, I have not expected "American Pastoral" to be so engaging. The interpersonal dynamics in the film are closing and convincing. I five myself trying to interpret how and why the girl turns out the way she dies. It is also a great plot point that the psychiatrist does know her stuff, and sees what is happening before other people figure it out. The contrasts between the reactions of the father and the mother after the tragedy, and also the contrasts between the speed of the subsequent recovery are astounding. I think this film is an engaging and thought provoking drama. I enjoyed it.

Anti-war protests. Heated political arguments. Police brutality. Social inequality. Race Riots. Calls for violence as a way to set things right. No, I'm not describing the Middle East or some Third World country. I'm talking about the United States – and not in the present day, but in the mid-1960s. The American Civil Rights Movement and opposition to U.S. involvement in Vietnam were both at their zeniths, both yielding positive and negative results for the country and those most personally involved. Can you imagine if much of this turmoil converged where you lived – all at the same time – and directly affected your own family? That's the situation in the drama "American Pastoral" (R, 2:06).

The script is by John Romano, based on the 1997 novel of the same name by Philip Roth, who based his main character on a real person – with some embellishments. And what a character Roth created! The Swede seemed to have it all! He was a star high school athlete (really, a hero and a legend in his hometown), he married a beauty queen (a former Miss New Jersey), he took over his father's thriving business (manufacturing high-end ladies' gloves), he had a house with land (in a very… pastoral setting), he and his wife had a loving, beautiful daughter to care for. What could be bad? All of it. At the 45th high school reunion of Swede's older brother, Jerry (Rupert Evans), he tells Swede's story to an old classmate, Nathan Zuckerman (Oscar nominee David Strathairn), a journalist who was overseas during the 1960s.

Seymour "Swede" Levov (Golden Globe nominee Ewan McGregor) was the pride of the Jewish-American community in Newark (which nicknamed him "Swede" because of his Nordic good looks), but Swede's life became difficult after high school – and went downhill from there. Swede had to struggle to get his very traditional father (Oscar nominee Peter Riegert) to accept the Catholicism of his wife, Dawn (Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly), he struggled to keep his business viable in the face of declining customer demand (and being at the epicenter of the 1967 Newark race riots), and he struggled mightily with his daughter, Merry (played by Ocean James in Merry's childhood and by Dakota Fanning as a rebellious teenager). Merry dealt with a bad stutter, which clearly affected her confidence and self-esteem (besides the "problem" of having such a beautiful mother, as pointed out by Merry's psychologist, played by Molly Parker). But Merry's problems (and her parents' problems with Merry) had just begun.

As she grew up, Merry became disillusioned with the world which she saw on TV as seemingly coming apart. She strongly sympathized with the Civil Rights Movement (especially its more radical elements) and the Vietnam anti-war movement (especially its more radical elements as well). She went from spewing hatred at President Johnson's image on the family's TV set to regularly taking the train into New York to commiserate with like-minded radicals. She rudely rebelled against all authority figures (including her own loving parents) and started talking openly about the need for a revolution in the U.S. One day, a local post office exploded, killing one man, and Merry… disappeared. Her anguished parents insisted that Merry couldn't have done such a thing… unless she was brainwashed and forced by others.

Over time, the movie's characters display very different reactions to the post office bombing. The police and FBI are convinced that Merry did it and they follow the few leads that they have trying to find her. Dawn doesn't want to believe that her daughter committed this horrible act, but gradually accepts it, leading her to a nervous breakdown. Jerry tries to get his brother to deal with the probability that Merry is guilty. Swede, however, never gives up on his daughter. He'll never believe in Merry's guilt unless he hears a confession from her own lips. Either way, all he wants to do is bring his daughter home and he never stops looking for her. The unexpected appearance of a mysterious young woman named Rita Cohen (Valorie Curry), who says she knows Merry, ends with Swede more desperate and frustrated than ever – and putting increased stress on his relationship with Dawn. Regardless, Swede never ever quits.

"American Pastoral" is a unique combination of enlightening, frustrating, inspiring and depressing. I gained a greater understanding of what was going on during the Vietnam Era, how certain social issues intertwined and how all of this affected ordinary people. I was frustrated by the daughter's behavior – and by the way the movie glossed over any real explanation for her unlikely and extreme radicalization. I was inspired by Swede's determination and unconditional love for his daughter… but it was depressing to see what those admirable qualities did to his previously promising life. The story's somewhat shaky, but interesting, the direction of McGregor (directing his first feature) is mostly solid, the characters are compelling and this impressive ensemble of actors are all at the top of their games. This movie won't leave you feeling very pastoral, but it will teach you more about America – and the power of love. "B"

I really like the Fanning sisters so I'll basically watch anything with them. I was also curious about this film because its the directional debut of Ewan McGregor. I went in blind not knowing what the film would bring but it seemed to have a strong cast, and for the little buzz it generated it remained something that I really wanted to check out. I think its a solid debut for McGregor as a filmmaker but can't escape being too dull at times.

The film is based on a novel about a family with a daughter with a speech impediment. She witnesses a traumatic scene of the infamous monk setting himself on fire in television. After this childhood incident Merry (Fanning's character) becomes a radical opponent of war. She starts out vehemently opposing Lyndon Johnson and the war efforts but eventually becomes the culprit in a murder after a bomb goes off. Swede (Ewan McGregor) spends most of the film trying to find his estranged daughter and find out why she is the way she is.

I think the film has strong performances as you would expect from the cast of this caliber. You immediately see the disenchantment of youth in Fanning's character and understand how radical she is in her anti-war stance. Her pained relationship with her mother is stated quite well, and the uncomfortably in it drives her mother mad. I had no problems with the character interactions, however the film cannot escape feeling dull and prolonged. You don't care enough to follow Swede as he tries to find his daughter, and when you finally find her, its just very underwhelming.

Its hard to care for Fanning's character as she's unlikable from the get go. The film doesn't offer much else outside of a quest for a character you'd rather remain lost. The method of storytelling does not always prosper as it goes through periods of stalling and the payoff isn't really entertaining. It gets very lost in an antiwar shuffle and remains shallow despite trying to go deep. I'd say its exciting to see McGregor get behind the camera but his first adaptation does not have enough life.

6/10

"American Pastoral" (2016 release; 108 min.) brings the story of the Levov family. As the movie opens, we get to know Seymour "Swede" Levov, who seemingly wins at every thing, including when he returns after WWII the girl of his dreams, Dawn, a nice Catholic girl, Seymour's dad almost railroads the marriage, as they are Jewish, but Dawn manages to convince him otherwise. A few years later, Seymour and Dawn have a wonderful little girl named Merry. Only there is a problem: Merry stutters, for reasons unknown. When Merry reaches age 16, and the anti-Vietnam was movement in full swing, Merry turns against her family and disappears... What becomes of Merry? To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie is the directing debut of actor Ewan McGregor, who also plays the lead role of Swede. The movie is the big screen adaptation of the Philip Roth book of the same name. I have not read the book, so I can't comment how closely (or not) the movie follows the underlying book. I had seen the trailer of the movie several times, and thought it looked very promising and intriguing. As it turns out, McGregor seemingly couldn't make up his mind whether this was going to be a psychological family drama, or a missing person crime thriller, or both. In the end, it tries to be both but fails to be compelling, including resulting from several improbable plot twists. It certainly isn't because of the lack of acting talent. McGregor is okay, but Jennifer Connelly as his wife Dawn is outstanding (at some point she goes into a minutes-long monologue against Swede, with devastating effect. Daughter Merry is played by several actresses (as she grows up), but the bulk of the role is done by Dakota Fanning, who seems weirdly "off" for this role. Last but not least, there is another great orchestral score from Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat.

"American Pastoral" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and the Saturday matinée screening where I saw this at was attended nicely. Maybe others were, like me, intrigued by the movie's trailer. I wonder of the word-of-mouth will be positive enough to keep this movie playing in theaters very long. Yet there are enough strong moments in it that I might suggest you check out "American Pastoral", be it in the theater, on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

What a strange one this is. The movie strays pretty far from the book, and plays like the weirdest episode of Mad Men never filmed. The tone is unrelentingly dour, and the point is... what? Stuttering leads to radicalization? Don't have a mixed marriage? The 60s were a bitch? It's well done, and the filmmakers' hearts were in the right place but David Strathairn as the Philip Roth character and Ewan McGregor as a Jewish guy? Nope.

This movie has strong characters in it. And I love the fact that Jennifer Connely plays a strong character. Or at least it seems that way (early on she has a great confrontation where she lets her acting muscles play), but unfortunately she has to take a back seat to Ewans character taking center stage later on. Him and Dakota Fannings relationship (also other actress playing his daughter) is elemental for this movie.

A movie that is about growing up, about responsibilities and also about choices. And getting to the point of accepting certain things. There's a powerful scene late in the movie with Ewan and Jennifer and another parent that strikes more than a chord. And while these are the best moments, sometimes the movie does seem muddled, trying to hard to make a point/statement. Overall it does succeed though, which comes down to the actors in the main roles. Not an easy watch at all ...

"Swede" Levov is a rich Jewish sport hero who marries Dawn, a beauty queen. Apart from biographical reasons, the Jewishness is an irrelevant side note (one of many) in this narrative.

Some 40 years after the happy marriage, writer Zuckerman goes to a high school reunion and is brought back to memory lane by photos of his acquaintance, the Swede. Zuckerman thinks about the perfect life the Swede must have had, only to have his thoughts destroyed by the impact with reality, narrated by the Swede's brother, also present to the reunion.

Turns out that Dawn and Swede offspring was a creepy, stuttering child, nicknamed Merry, who grew up in the 60s and became a terrorist, in protest against ... well, everything.

Dakota Fanning as Merry is incredibly annoying and her stuttering distracting. The plot starts as a tragic tale of social upheavals and turns into a weird, flaccid search for a missing daughter who went bonkers on the field. The whole political and social part, introduced at length, is dropped suddenly when Dawn starts to go bonkers herself.

Lots of scenes are cringeworthy disconnected, like the long riot scene around the Swede factory, and the attempted seduction of the Swede by yet another bonkers female character.

Long, disjointed, disappointing movie whose only point seems to prove that even those who start as winners may end up disillusioned and disappointed by life... not exactly ground breaking news.

Ethnic casting is a slippery slope, with the danger of confirming cruel stereotypes. The biggest problem with American Pastoral is that screenwriter and McGregor don't grasp Roth's universe, with the casting missteps foreshadowing flat performances. Obviously correct ethnic casting guarantees nothing special. Translating Philp Roth's novel to the screen is always daunting but with American Pastoral, it's probably not doable at all, mainly because the novel's complex narrative emerges from multiple perspectives, each shaped by the distorting lens of imagination. The ambiance only is original but overall the movie doesn't work.

saw this oddly paced film last night at a half empty theater preview. while the acting is good, the story and characters are strangely off. the pacing and cadence were oddly theatrical and felt unnatural. The whole film was peculiarly off-kilter. 3/4 or more was background development, never quite explaining the characters, effectively shooting itself in the foot. there is an weird, inexplicable sex scene. talking about the film, 3 indie filmmakers- none of us could figure out exactly what was the point, where it went off, why anyone would release this film. seemed like a film school project, not ready for prime time. had no expectations, but still left disappointed and confused.

The novel on which this film was based won a Pulitzer Prize. Yet the film has a 2.8/10 on Rotten Tomatoes and was panned by all the major critics.

The main issue, is that while Dakota Fanning is a talented actor, the screenplay writing of her part in the film really fails.

In the novel she is a psychopath murdering innocent people in involved with people who think Stalin was a good guy. She is literally the equivalent of a neo-Nazi terrorist but on the extreme left. The film just doesn't delve into that and fails completely as a result. Some of the commentary on this review section shows that people who have not read the novel completely misunderstand this film, given the source material is about the destruction the daughter wreaks on her family and others.

Skip the film and give the novel a read.

With the 2016 Presidential Election from Hell, mercifully, running out of gas, there's a new movie out that reminds us that things could always be worse. "American Pastoral," a film about the turbulent-Vietnam War era, reveals in suspense-filled details the conflict's damning effects on one, middle-class family.

It stars (Ewan McGregor) as Seymour Levov, Jewish, a Newark, NJ-based entrepreneur, high school star athlete and WWII veteran. He's contently married to a Catholic girl, Dawn Dwyer (Jennifer Connelly.) She's a pretty, former "Miss New Jersey." He's a happy go-lucky political liberal. His friends call him "Swede."

The Swede's factory makes gloves in what's left of Newark's industrial base. After the assassination of MLK, Jr., the riots of 1968 strike the town hard. It's fair to say that Newark, and the Swede's business and home life, were badly shaken by the experience.

Nevertheless, the Swede's family, residing out in the patrician-dominated countryside, soldier on. They are enjoying the good life out on their farm/home, in suburbia New Jersey.

The Levovs have one daughter, Merry. As a child, she's played impressively by (Ocean James, age 8; and Hannah Nordberg, age 12). When she reaches that late teenage time of open rebellion, the fine actress, (Dakota Fanning), enters the frame.

Merry, a blonde, is a little on the spoiled side growing up. She also has a serious stuttering, and "dad problem."

The movie is based on a popular novel of the same name, authored by the controversial Philip Roth. In 2012, he declared, a la J.D. Salinger, that he was going to fade from the literary scene. (Oh, my, these testy writers! Sometimes they can be worse than those larger-than-life egos on the TV show, "The View!")

The novel, "American Pastoral," came out in 1997. I haven't read it. I prefer to review a movie without forever comparing it to how the book portrayed this or that subject, which can be so distracting. I understand the film is true to the spirit of the book.

In any event, the screenplay for the flick was written by John Romano, and he gets the job done. It's McGregor, himself, (the Swede), who very skillfully, directs the movie. His acting is compelling, too.

The Levov family is soon shaken again. As the Vietnam War heated up in the 60/70s, their daughter Merry, now age 16, is pulled into the most extreme antiwar politics of the day. She starts associating with violence-prone antiwar radicals in New York City.

The generation gap in families is all too familiar. But, when you toss in a very unpopular war, the mix can be toxic. The Swede and his wife try, but have a tough time dealing with Merry. Meanwhile, she has developed a smart-ass, know-it-all attitude.

Backstory: The Vietnam War (1964-1975) literally ripped the country apart. After the murder of President John F. Kennedy, his successor, the shadowy Lyndon B. Johnson, launched the conflict based on a false flag op, k/a "The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution." Close to 58,000 of our finest sons and daughters died; many more were wounded. The Vietnamese casualties ran into the millions.

Protesters in the U.S. hit the streets. Vietnam birthed the modern day, "Antiwar Movement." It also brought out the crazies, the ultra-militant, "Weathermen," aka "The Weather Underground."

The chant, "Hey, Hey, LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?" regularly rang out at demonstrations across the county. The torching of the American flag was also a frequent occurrence at these demonstrations.

Matters begin to speed up in the film when a bomb goes off in the Swede's local Post Office. It brings the war home for him and his family. The postmaster is killed in the blast. Merry is implicated in the act of terrorism and suddenly goes missing. The FBI is on her trail. Her devastated father tries to track her down, too, which takes up about the last half of the movie.

Much of the story is told in a narrative form by an ex-classmate of the Swede, Nathan Zuckerman, ably played by (David Strathairn). A sounding board for Zuckerman is the Swede's brother Jerry (Rupert Evans), a doctor. They relate how the years had burst the bubble of Swede, the one-time high school jock.

The Swede's search for Merry brings him into the mean streets of Newark's ghetto. One day at the glove factory, he visited by a young woman, Rita Cohen (Valorie Curry). She purports to be a friend of Merry's from the underground movement. Is this a setup? Is she just looking to shake him down and then do him harm?

In any event, some of Roth's views on the Vietnam War period come off as too far removed from the struggle itself. It's like he relied mostly on headlines, and stereotypes, from that period to craft two of his most important characters: the Swede's daughter, Merry; and the extremist radical, Rita Cohen.

For one, Merry's evolving, so quickly, into a full fledged bomb maker doesn't compute. The mysterious Cohen character, I must add, is totally incredulous. Despite those objections, the movie, still works as first-rate entertainment. The film was shot in Pittsburgh, PA.

It's the superb acting, which keeps "American Pastoral" together. It sustain your interest throughout. This sad film recreates, at times, insightfully, via the highly-fictionalized history of one impacted family in suburbia New Jersey, the trauma, anxiety and grief of that horrific Vietnam War era.

I'm not only recommending "American Pastoral," I'm giving it six out of ten stars.

This film has been long on the shelf, with the script being completed back in 2006 with Jennifer Connolly being the only cast member from the original line-up. Ewan McGregor making his directorial debut and also taking the lead role, which is quite a feat but also a usual habit of actors-come-directors on their time in the chair.

Novel based, Philip Roth's American Pastoral won the Pulitzer Prize for the 1997 published story. Being an incredible work of fiction, it could easily be mistaken as a biography. Having a few of his books adapted for screen, this is one of two this year alone, Indignation being the other.

There's an interesting narrative with David Strathairn setting up the story by reluctantly attending a school reunion and hears what comes of high-school superstar The Swede, played by McGregor. How he marries school sweetheart and beauty princess, Dawn (Connolly) becoming the prefect couple as everyone had expected.

However, things rarely go precisely to plan or as expected, when their daughter grows up quite angry with the world, especially with the American government and the policies and wars it carries out. It's quite possibly any parent's greatest trouble, losing their own child to ideals not of their own, setting them very much apart.

Actually feeling rather topical for the current American climate, whilst being strongly political it does truly focus more on the personal level, watching how a once-perfect father torment himself in the wake of his own daughters self- destruction and activism.

The performances are superbly portrayed, especially McGregor's emotional outbursts and acts of defiance, he's certainly the star here among a strong cast. I don't think there was enough Dakota Fanning, or it leaps years failing to give the same investment I had for McGregor. But sure the story is pivotal to McGregor and not Fanning.

McGregor's direction is nothing short of stunning, showing off his knowledge of behind-the- camera work, but I think he tried too hard to impress, cramming so many styles in there, even the unpopular shaky-cam in there. It's as if he's attempted to take his favourite methods from directors he has worked with, though it's a stand alone piece and cannot think of anything similar. It's still very well done and very artistic.

There's an almost non-existent score from Alexandre Desplat, but listening to it in isolation, it's a very good score with hints of patriotism, sombre, thoughtful anthems and keywords that reminded me of Thomas Newman's work. Unfortunately, I just didn't really notice it in the film, but that's not to say it didn't help assist the scenes in anyway.

It really is a radical ordinary story, superbly executed and for McGregor's directorial debut, he should be proud, I'll be looking forward to seeing more work from him behind the camera.

Running Time: 8 The Cast: 8 Performance: 8 Direction: 7 Story: 9 Script: 8 Creativity: 8 Soundtrack: 5 Job Description: 8 The Extra Bonus Points: 5 for McGregor's directorial debut Would I buy the Bluray?: Possibly.

74% 7/10

The book was from the 90s and the story is about the 60s. Narrated from the father's perspective, that's what I think did not work in this film. This is where a film and the book does not synch. Because books are always very detail when it describes a person. In the films, they are just a simple visual where viewers have to focus on those details to have a perfect impression like the book. So I totally point out to the writer who did not quite transformed the point of the storytelling.

It is not the parents to decide what their kids want to be. The film opened with a couple ready to get married, arguing with their elders about something. Soon it forwards to a few years where their relationship with their daughter seems not good. Further, they become more distant and completely lose her for the unrest in the society and the nation. But father never gives up. His love and care for her leads the way and what comes later is even more disturbing before it all ends.

It was Ewan McGregor's directional debut. I don't think he would try it again, not any time soon. But I would appreciate his quality of filmmaking. He only needs a better writer and the screenplay. I also think, he should not direct himself. I never considered him a best actor. I yet to see his performance. The film was not strong enough, if you are from outside the United States. Because what they call this 60s revolution was more a misunderstood by the young people. Particularly that religious thing, they were misled and spoiled their lives. So, instead of focusing that, the film centred on a father-daughter relationship. That is why it was a decent film. Otherwise I would have rated even wrose.

5.5/10

"American Pastoral" unfolds as a poignant exploration of shattered dreams and the disintegration of the American Dream, with Ewan McGregor's directorial debut offering a compelling narrative. The acting, particularly McGregor's portrayal of Seymour "Swede" Levov, is commendable, capturing the complexity of a man grappling with the unraveling of his seemingly perfect life. The film editing gracefully weaves through timelines, creating a reflective atmosphere that enhances the emotional impact. While the music may not be a standout, it subtly underscores the melancholy tone of the story. The film's strength lies in its thought-provoking exploration of societal upheavals, generational conflicts, and the elusive nature of the American Dream. The cinematography, capturing the stark beauty of rural America, adds depth to the narrative. With a 7/10 rating, "American Pastoral" is a poignant meditation on the complexities of identity, family, and the relentless passage of time.

Based on late author Philip Roth's 1997 Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name, American Pastoral see's the seemingly never ceasing to work Ewan McGregor step behind the camera for the first time to adapt Roth's supposedly unadaptable book for the big screen.

Only recently finding its way to the Australian marketplace after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival way back in September of 2016, Pastoral see's McGregor trying valiantly to bring Roth's revered work to life for the big screen treatment but it's to little avail as McGregor's well-intentioned work behind and in front of the camera as lead character Swede Levov amount to little in an adaptation that loses sight of what made Roth's work a member Time magazine's list of 100 best novels.

Famous for its dealings around the social and political unrests of the 1960's and 1970's American landscape, Roth's family drama centring around Swede and Jennifer Connelly's wife Dawn idealistic world being shattered by their stuttering daughter Merry (played well by Dakota Fanning) being implicated in a violent act of political terrorism, Pastoral's finer nuances and themes have been lost by Mcgregor and screenwriter John Romano as this unbalanced feature becomes more of a tale of a father looking for his missing daughter.

Many naysayers to a cinematic adaptation of Roth's work felt for year's that the novels layered and complicated foundation would struggle to be brought to life on the big screen and there's little doubt as to why so many various behind the scenes players and actors have come and gone on this project before McGregor decided to take matters into his own hands.

While the film itself is a notable failure and fans of Roth's work are likely to be left cold by this experience, there are brief glimpses on show here that would suggest McGregor should try his hand once more at the directing game, with the period detail and atmosphere created by the well-liked actor a highlight of the film that otherwise leaves much to be desired, especially in its cinematic treatment of much of Roth's dialogue that comes across here as both stale and stilted rather than full of life.

Final Say -

Some books are unfortunately better left untouched for the big screen treatment, with American Pastoral one of these. Despite good intentions from all involved, including a trying very hard McGregor, this is an adaptation you're best off avoiding.

1 ½ high school reunions out of 5

American Pastoral was based on Pulitzer Prize winning author Philip Roth's novel. The movie is directed by Ewan McGregor, he was also the main character who marries Jennifer Connelly who was the beauty queen of her state. Their daughter who was played by Dakota Fanning joins the turmoil of 1960's America and disappears from society after a few bombings that killed a group of people. Fanning goes missing most of her life and Ewan never gives up on her. I never knew what Pastoral means but it's meaning has to do with farming to grazing of sheep but in church it means concerning or appropriate to the giving of spiritual guidance. The family's life falls apart as each parent falls into emotional struggle to keep their sanity. Peter Riegert acts as Ewan's rough around the edges Jewish father while David Strathairn narrates the film. Overall it was a dark emotionally sad movie, good to watch once but don't think I would watch it again.

At a New Jersey school reunion, Nathan Zuckerman (David Strathairn) recalls class football hero Swede Levov (Ewan McGregor) but Jerry tells the writer Zuckerman the full story. Nathan is jewish and marries beautiful catholic Dawn Dwyer (Jennifer Connelly) despite his father (Peter Riegert)'s religious objections. He manages his father's glove factory and moves out into the country. They live a decent life and they send their stuttering daughter Merry (Hannah Nordberg) to psychiatrist Sheila Smith (Molly Parker). A teenage Merry (Dakota Fanning) turns radical over the Vietnam war.

This is Ewan McGregor's directorial debut. It's probably too ambitious. His lack of experience leaves the movie missing a direction and intensity. It's an epic that is beyond his capabilities. First, I would abandon the wrap-around present day story. The stuttering is problematic. I'm sure that it's part of the novel but it stalls the conversational flow. Aside from the stuttering, some of the dialogue is clunky. This wants so badly to be shocking and emotionally sprawling. It would help to give Dawn more screen time especially after Merry's departure. The hotel scene with Rita is almost comical and Dawn should be there. Dawn's deterioration is too abrupt because the movie doesn't follow her down. Nathan is stuck in a frustrating way. By falling short, this fails through setting the bar too high.

'I was never more wrong about anyone in my life.'

Philip Roth's superb book has passages of language that crystallizes our thinking, our memories, our association with life. In this cinematic transformation the words are placed in the utterances by Nathan Zuckerman, sort of an Everyman as he states in the opening of the film – 'Let's remember the energy. America had won the war. The depression was over. Sacrifice was over. The upsurge of life was contagious. We celebrated a moment of collective inebriation that we would never know again. Nothing like it in all the years that followed from our childhood until tonight, the 45th reunion of our high school class…30 or 40, a gathering of my old classmates would have been exactly the kind of thing I'd have kept my nose out of. But at 62, I found myself drawn to it as if in the crowd of half-remembered faces I'd be closer to the mystery at the heart of things, a magic trick that turned time past into time present'. John Romano adapted Roth's novel American PASTORAL for the screen. Ethan McGregor directs. We all reflect on a time that somehow, though placed in the 1960's resistance against the Vietnam War, is terrifyingly familiar with the mood of the nation at present, again at resistance rallies – and that is the reason it works so well.

Seymour 'Swede' Levov (Ewan McGregor) was from the Jewish community and is an All- American sports star in high school. He had everything an American idol can dream of - a the tall muscular young man and high school star athlete but he married a Catholic beauty queen named Dawn (Jennifer Connelly) against his father's (Peter Riegert) advice. Swede later became the successful manager of the glove factory his father had founded, which allowed him to live with his wife in a beautiful house in the New Jersey countryside. Well-mannered, always bright, smiling and positive, conservative but with a liberal edge, what bad could ever happen to him? The couple's stuttering daughter Merry (Hannah Nordberg then Dakota Fanning) is their pride and joy until she steps into the 1960s and becomes an antiwar activist, responsible for bombing a little station, killing the owner in what is a senseless and horrifying change in life direction. Merry leaves home and the rest of the film is a father's search for peace with his distraught wife and community while he ceaselessly searches for his renegade daughter.

A difficult film to watch, just as the book was challenging to read. But somehow the mirror it holds up to society as we are currently living it makes the disturbing experience all the more poignant.

Full of angst, portent and gravitas.

Well, certainly full of angst.

The book was probably better but if it was, it didn't translate particularly well to the screen.

Lots of good story points and concise scenes in the beginning but it later started to drag and many things weren't explained, not that it particularly marred the movie - you're just glad it was over.

I haven't read the book so can't say if it was well adapted. Some books just don't translate well to the screen. This may have been one.