Uncertainty (2009/IFC Films/MPI DVD)
Picture: B- Sound:
B- Extras: C Film: C+
Scott McGehee and David Siegel first gained notice with
their 1993 thriller Suture, but have
had a sometimes choppy run as art film/independent filmmakers. They keep trying and make a feature every few
years or so. Uncertainty (2009) is their latest and it has some good ideas, some
memorable scenes and a good cast, but it just does not necessarily add up in
the end. This is still a smart work, to
a point.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lynn Collins play a young couple
in love who flip a coin and start running around New York City, often meeting,
but there is a sudden split in their physical placements and something surreal
is about to happen. They find a phone
and they get a call from a man who says he wants it. A second man with the same name but different
voice also calls and wants it. One will
pay, he says, the other seems to be ready to kill for it.
At the same time, the film spends more time (including the
added touches of Godard’s New Wave films and Run Lola Run in very small points) on their relationship, their
family connections, how in love they are and what their future might be. All goes well and the actors are fine
together with good chemistry, but the filmmakers cannot figure out how to end
this, will not add Science Fiction as a potential genre and instead of ending
open-ended or with closure, it just ends.
That is a shame, because if they had worked this out in a
different way, this could have been a surprise critical and even commercial hit
like a Donnie Darko or some other
independent film (much needed more than ever) that breaks out against the odds
and against overproduced Hollywood franchise repetition that does not work and
is more often than ever junk these days.
Still, it is so different and interesting that it is worth a look if you
are interested. Just expect to
ultimately be disappointed.
The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image was shot in
Arri’s HDCAM system and considering the motion blur and color limits, looks
pretty good throughout, thanks in part to the work of Director of Photography
Rain Li (Paranoid Park) and is
surprisingly watchable throughout.
Wonder how this looks on 35mm or would on a Blu-ray. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is also decent with a
good soundfield throughout and a good music score by Peter Nashel. Extras include stills, TV Spot, Trailer,
Script/Scene Comparison and Audition Footage.
- Nicholas Sheffo
