An American Affair (2009)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

William Olsson

Writer (WGA):

Alex Metcalf (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

What can you do for your country?

Plot:

Set in 1963, in the swirl of glamour and intrigue that turned President John F. Kennedy's Washington into Camelot, the movie traces the coming of age of a lonely 13-year-old Catholic school boy. |

Plot Keywords:

Country Name In Title | Nun | 1960s

Cast

Gretchen Mol	...	Catherine Caswell
James Rebhorn	...	Lucian Carver
Cameron Bright	...	Adam Stafford
Perrey Reeves	...	Adrienne Stafford
Mark Pellegrino	...	Graham Caswell
Noah Wyle	...	Mike Stafford
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.P. Aaron	...	White House Sentry
Kris Arnold	...	Charlie
Laurel Astri	...	Faith
Jimmy Bellinger	...	Jimmy
Jermaine Crawford	...	Andre
Lisa-Lisbeth Finney	...	Sister Mary Eunice
Jerry Hart	...	Carl
Sarah Hart	...	Patricia
Courtney Miller	...	Carol
Gerry Paradiso	...	Del Valle
Monika Samtani	...	Sita
Jerry Whiddon	...	Jacques
Hannah Williams	...	Magda

Also Known As:

Boy of Pigs (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

Germany:96 min (European Film Market) | USA:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

Astrakan Films

Soundtrack:

Sa (Native Mix)

Captivating ... sexy ... moody ... original ... superbly made film with truly memorable performances

These days it's rare to come across a finely crafted film that plays every character -- and literally every moment of every scene -- with an uncompromising integrity. Instead of the usual attempt to make a marketable product that pulls the right demographic -- or pushes everyone's buttons -- or simply puts as many of the masses into the seats as possible, writer Alex Metcalf and director William Olsson follow their very resonant characters into the story generated quite naturally by these delicately entangled lives. Yes, there are elements of "coming of age", of "cloak and dagger", of "erotic thriller", etc. -- but it isn't really any of those. Like all really outstanding motion pictures, this film belongs to itself -- is its own category.

Setting fictional characters into a piece of well-known history is in itself a major film-making challenge and not without its pitfalls. But there isn't a single false step here as Olsson juggles fact and fiction with seamless precision, managing to keep all the balls in the air. "An American Affair' is a quiet movie ... taking its time ... allowing you savor every sweet and sour moment. The music is minimal -- yet superbly appropriate and authentic to period. Never showy, the thoughtful camera work serves the characters and content very, very well.

The performances are uniformly excellent -- with Gretchen Mol turning in a truly memorable tour-de-force portrayal of this complex, conflicted young woman. The erotic scenes are never overplayed -- they're tangible -- real. This is genuine eroticism -- not the showbiz kind. She plays the total woman at all times and yet retains that elusive air ... a lingering mystique. Can we -- can anyone -- really know her? We savor each tiny revelation that emerges through her many moods -- playful, seductive, cynical, childlike, creative, materialistic, conscientious, free-spirited, controlling, generous, vulnerable, self-serving. Mol plays every resonant note to absolute perfection and it's the key to making this film so unforgettable.

This is the kind of movie that stays with you long after the lights come up. Hard to believe it's Olsson's first feature length film -- and it's made in the English language for North America's convenience! We have a lot to look forward to from this wonderful new addition to the world's motion picture auteurs.