David Gordon Green's UNDERTOW is a poetic, atmospheric thriller with touches of the surreal. After escaping his haunted past and settling deep in rustic Georgia, a widower, John (Durmot Mulroney) carves out a simple life with his sons Chris (Jamie Bell) and Tim (Devon Alan). With the arrival of John's estranged outlaw brother Deel (Josh Lucas), this image of Southern gothic unravels as the bitter convict seeks to rectify a deadly old grudge, and violently retrieve his half of their father's "cursed" gold coins.
Set in the 1970's, UNDERTOW is an homage to films of that era (Deliverance and Badlands). Even the tinkling score by Phillip Glass is reminiscent of 70's horror films. It heightens the suspense as the boys desperately tear through the woods with their reclaimed family treasure, the devilish Deel in hot pursuit. Here the story morphs into a coming-of-age film, as the once rebellious Chris is faced with taking care of his sickly younger brother.
Using simple, cinematic storytelling without the sterile polish of the Hollywood formulae, UNDERTOW embraces the grandiose classic themes of revenge, greed and murder, and humbly resets them in a green, idyllic world blemished with the pig stys and ramshackle houses of rural poverty. The quiet drama that unfolds is slow-paced, but thoroughly absorbing, supported fully by the superbly realized characters. Though it may not be the "feel good" movie of the year, Undertow is a well-made, well-acted film, and well worth seeing. A
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