BBBB
(out of 5)
Jennifer Aniston plays a bored retail clerk living in Nowheresville, Texas whose life is spiced up when she meets moody Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal), another clerk at her store. After years of going home to her mundane husband (John C. Reilly), who spends most of his time smoking pot with his housepainting co-worker and buddy (Tim Blake Nelson), Holden’s youth and vitality give her something new to look forward to. Unfortunately, it isn’t until after she begins an affair with him that she realizes that the life she has hated for so long is starting to look good now that it is being threatened; Holden’s inability to stay emotionally even is also not impressing her too much. America’s Heartland is ripped wide open by Chris White’s brilliant screenplay and Miguel Arteta’s mature direction, though they pale in comparison to the marvelous work done by Aniston. She finds an incredible wealth of emotion at the centre of this woman’s dry life, and she serves it up wholeheartedly for her audience.
Flan de Coco Films, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Hungry Eye Lowland Pictures B.V., In-Motion AG Movie & TV Productions, Myriad Pictures, World Media Fonds V
USA/Germany/The Netherlands, 2002
Directed by Miguel Arteta
Screenplay by Mike White
Cinematography by Enrique Chediak
Produced by Matthew Greenfield
Music by Tony Maxwell, James O’Brien, Mark Orton, Joey Waronker
Production Design by Daniel Bradford
Costume Design by Nancy Steiner
Film Editing by Jeff Betancourt
Independent Spirit Awards 2002.
