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By CityElizabethtown
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ElizabethtownA Perfect Blend of Drama, Comedy, & Romance
2005-10-18
Article Written by: Sami Jo
Cameron Crowe, the man who brought the world both Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, has proven himself as more than a director: the man is a storyteller. With his new release, Elizabethtown, Crowe once again manages to suck his audience in and leave them wanting more by combining aspects of drama, comedy, and romance with the director’s trademark ability to narrate through a film’s soundtrack. His tenacity is clear in that he devotes a great deal of time to choosing the perfect music to accentuate the mood of each particular scene. He even used music on the set while filming to help familiarize his actors with the exact tone he is looking for in each scene.
The story Crowe tells in this case is about a man named Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom). After losing his job, girlfriend, and father all in the same day, Baylor feels literally lost. But with the support of a quirky flight attendant named Claire (Kirsten Dunst) and the guidance of a very special map she makes specifically for him, Baylor begins a journey through the heartland of America. The movie’s namesake, a small rural town in Kentucky, helps to bring life to the story and the characters.
Orlando Bloom does a fantastic job of conveying the broad range of emotions his character experiences. Kirsten Dunst, in this film, plays a character similar to many of her other characters. She’s a strong leading lady, and it’s great to see that she’s one of the child stars that made the adult transition into Hollywood. The only flaw in her performance is the horrible southern accent she attempts in the beginning and loses somewhere in the course of the story. Susan Sarandon receives the most laughs playing Drew’s mom – a woman who goes into a very funny brand of shock when her husband dies. Overall, the film is extremely enjoyable and comes highly recommended. Perhaps, the simple tagline for this movie really sums it up best. “Elizabethtown…it’s a heck of a place to find yourself.”
Final thought: I’m adding the soundtrack to my Christmas list, if anyone is interested.
