Gerry (2003)
A film review by Shaun Sages
...it's
this way
Starring: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Running Time: 103 minutes
Rated R for language
Two
nameless characters get lost in the desert. This is the basic premise for
director Gus Van Sant’s new and experimental film, Gerry. The two
characters wandering through the vast landscapes are played by Matt Damon
(making a bold career decision) and Casey Affleck, who refer to each other
simply as “Gerry”. Once lost, the two buddies don’t resort to blame or
fits of profanity, like the three college students who cannot find their way out
of the woods in The Blair Witch Project, but calmly try figuring out a
path back to civilization.
Gerry
is not the type of film the majority of moviegoers are accustomed to watching.
It is an intentionally slow and contemplative movie. For starters, dialogue between Damon and
Affleck is minimal, and when they do talk, we vaguely understand their
conversation. They talk in “buddy-code”, and aside from Damon and
Affleck’s inner-circle of friends, not many will comprehend what these two are
talking about. The scant amount of dialogue aside, Van Sant has the camera track
along with his two actors, in numerous scenes, as they pace through the desert.
No cuts. No inserts. Just a 5-minute plus silent tracking shot.
Some
may view this silent format as pretentious artsy baloney. Considering I was
raised on MTV-style filmmaking, Gerry did test my patience during several
scenes, mainly one where the camera languidly rotates 360-degrees around Affleck
as he sits and contemplates the situation he’s in. And while Affleck, whose
character has not drank or eaten in the past few days, puts on a priceless
facial expression, this approach towards filmmaking is the polar opposite of
MTV-like edits.
-Copyright 2003 by Shaun
Sages