THE DRIFTLESS AREA
US, 2015, 93 minutes, Colour.
Anton Yelchin, Zooey Deschanel, John Hawkes, Alia Shawkat, Frank Langella, Ciaran Hinds, Aubrey Plaza.
Directed by Zachary Sluzer.
The Driftless Area is a drama/melodrama set in the backblocks of the United States.
What makes it different is the way the story is told, memories of Pulp Fiction, with a variety of time shifts, non-linear.
The focus of the story is on a young man, Pierre, played by Anton Yelchin, who comes back to his hometown after his parents’ death, away for studies, but taking up work in a bar. We first see him getting a lift on the road, picked up by Shane, John Hawkes, who robs him but who crashes when Pierre throws a stone at his vehicle. However, in the narrative, this comes later.
It emerges that Shane has set a house on fire for criminal boss, Ted (Ciaran Hinds), but a young woman was in the house, Stella (Zoe Deschanel). She seems to have survived – or, perhaps, is a ghost – who makes contact with a hermit outside the town, Frank Langella. When Pierre falls down a well, it is she who rescues him and they fall in love.
The plot builds up to a confrontation between Pierre and the criminals, Pierre eluding them – but?
1. The title, the actual location and career? The American town, the landscapes? The symbolism of the title?
2. The blend of realism, surrealism, fantasy?
3. The town, homes, the buyer, the countryside locations? The garage and the centre for the criminals? The musical score?
4. The time shifts, the non-linear storytelling? The different perspective on the events because of the time shifts, interpretation?
5. The character of Carrie, her telling the story, in herself, her life, in the town? Her perspective on Pierre, the friendship, talking with him? Who are willing to help?
6. The focus on Pierre, his age, his story, in the town, going to study, his parents’ death, returning to work in the bar? Seeing him on the road, with the flowers, getting the lift? The encounter with Shane, his taking the flowers? Pierre throwing the stone, the crash, finding the money, taking it? But this episode coming later in the linear story?
7. Shane, the truck, the money, giving the lift, taking the flowers, the crash, the money, his recovering?
8. Shane and Ned, Ned and his control, Ned and the commission to set the house on fire, Shane and the arson? The later account, the possible survivor? Ned urging Shane to recover the money? The pursuit of Pierre, guns, the house in the forest, Pierre and shrewdness, the defeat of Shane and Ned?
9. Tim, the recluse, his lifestyle, his house, the touch of second sight, his helping Stella, supporting her, in the town, observing?
10. The return to Pierre, his walking in the forest, falling down the well, trapped? The rescue, Stella and her helping him to get out? Her bond with Tim? With Pierre? Her being in the house, the reason, unexpected? Pierre bring her the flowers?
11. Stella, being in the fire, her experience, whether she was dead or not, the touch of the ghost story, her powers? Finding Pierre, the consequences? Tim telling her that someone would come at the right time for her retribution?
12. The film as an ordinary story, the range of characters, the non--linear storytelling, the touch of the existential in the dialogue, life and meaning, justice and retribution?
