SHORT REVIEW: Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking

Rated R

Running time: 1 hr 40 mins

Cast:

Nick Stahl
AnnaSophia Robb
Charlize Theron
Dennis Hopper

Critical conensus:

** out of *****

Matt's Take:

Has Not Viewed

Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:

**1/2 out of *****

The premise:

The drama follows an 11-year-old girl's struggle to come to terms with her mother's abandonment.

MY REVIEW

Sleepwalking is an appropriately named film. The pacing is so slow, it's as if the movie is moving but asleep at the same time. That doesn't mean this is an awful movie, because it really isn't. However, this is a very typical, unoriginal take on the dysfunctional family drama. There are no groundbreaking moments or scenes that just make you think and want to tear up. The story isn't bad, it's pretty decent actually, just nothing you haven't seen before.

What saves this movie the most is the performances. Nick Stahl (Terminator 3, How to Rob a Bank)is excellent here. He really captures the emotions of his character well, even though he is slightly poorly written. Oscar winner Charlize Theron (Monster, Hancock) only appears in the opening act and final act and is absent a good portion of the film. When she is on screen however, she demonstrates why she is an Oscar winner. She can deliver a pretty powerful punch in the acting catergory, and she does not dissapoint here. The real star of the movie here is young actress AnnaSophia Robb (The Reaping, Bridge to Terabithia). This is really her film. She is no Abigail Breslin but she carries herself very well in this movie. Perhaps she displays the most sincere emotions over her more respected adult cast.

The look of the movie is very rustic, if that's the right choice of word. You really feel the mood of the film through the way it looks. It was handled well by first time director Bill Maher whose done special effects work on movies like X-Men. Really though, this films major downfall is its lack of genuine emotional punch, because like I've said, we have seen this type of film every year. Sometimes these movies bring their A game such as the film Snow Angels. Sleepwalking could take a few pointers from that film.

CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARDS NOMINATIONS:

• Best Performance by a Young Actor or Actress (AnnaSophia Robb)

To view this films theatrical trailer, click this link: Sleepwalking

*This is the 74th new film I've seen and reviewed this year.

*This film is now on DVD.