From dancing in Fatboy Slim videos, to hosting Saturday Night Live, Christopher Walken has proven himself to be one of the most versatile actors around. In Around the Bend you get to see him dance, be funny, and more.
Around the Bend is the story of four generations of men, great-grandfather (Michael Cane), grandfather (Christopher Walken), father (Josh Lucas), and son (Jonah Bobo). Their clan is brought together, then sent on a trip across the southwestern states. The trip gives them a chance to discover the truth about their family’s past, and learn more about the many skeletons in their grandfather’s closet.
At the heart of this film is a very sad story of pain and loss between a reformed drug addict and his estranged son, which sounds pretty heavy, huh? Well it could be, but the film does an amazing job of mixing in humor with the storyline to keep the edge off of this sometimes-dark tale.
This film has a very difficult and delicate balance to strike as it seeks to deal with the very intense subject matter all while carrying a very serious undertone. It manages to do this through the use of quirky and humorous settings, which are necessary to offset the dark nature of the story.
The credit for this effect should go to writer/director Jordan Roberts, who apparently based the story on his own relationship with his father.
Walken and Lucas provide very strong performances showing the emotional distress of a relationship between a father and son having their first real connection too far into their adult lives. On top of Walken’s performance, Caine and Bobo both deserve mention for stealing most of the scenes they are in.
At times the film can be slow, and it really only scratches the surface of some deeply emotional issues, but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses making this an enjoyable film.
