"Elizabethtown" proves to be another essential Cameron Crowe film. Crowe wrote the script, directed the film and selected songs for the soundtrack.
Crowe has been at the helm of these very same tasks for films like "Almost Famous," "Say Anything" and "Jerry Maguire."
The film stars Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst, in roles that on the surface are very similar to those played by Zach Braff and Natalie Portman in "Garden State." However, Crowe gives his characters depth and paints them so well that the audience has a clear idea of what is spinning in each character's CD player.
Bloom plays Drew Baylor, a man that has tasted both great success and terrible failure after designing a new athletic show for the Oregon shoe company. The shoe becomes a laughingstock. Drew is then simultaneously dumped by his girlfriend, loses his job and then his father.
It seems at this point that there is nowhere for Drew to find solace. After discovering the news of his father's death, Drew must return to Elizabethtown, Ky. to retrieve his father's body and bring him back to be buried in Oregon.
Drew travels to his father's hometown in place of his mother (Susan Sarandon) and his sister (Judy Greer).
After boarding a flight home, fate steps in by the name of Claire Colburn (Dunst). The kooky flight attendant, a free spirit who seems incapable of having a bad day is the polar opposite of Baylor.
After landing in Kentucky, the two part ways and Drew drives around Elizabethtown in attempts to have a better understanding of where his father came from. Crowe creates an interesting backdrop of supporting characters in roles that, although very southern, avoid being too stereotypical. Drew's family members cook for him and tell him stories about his father.
Drew struggles with his father's death, meeting new family members and the ever-present looming failure from his job. He then calls Claire in an attempt to forget his gloom.
The characters' conversation lasts for hours in a beautiful scene, with one of Ryan Adams's best tunes playing in the background. This scene is a culmination of all that Crowe excels at - creating believable characters, developing a great foundation between the two, all the while playing some great songs.
Bloom and Dunst have great chemistry with one another, and their budding romance becomes one of the central storylines of the film.
The audience finds itself rooting for the couple, while also hoping that Drew will be able to confront his fears of failure and death. This may sound like there is too much going on at once, but the movie flows extremely well and the audience never feels too overwhelmed.
Bloom does a surprisingly good job in the part of Drew, a big departure from the period films that have given him his fame. Dunst has an effervescent quality about her that brings a lot of life to the character of Claire. Drew's family members, both those in Oregon and in Elizabethtown, are all memorable.
Without giving too much of the film away, my review shall end here. I may sound too biased being that I am a Crowe disciple, but he has managed to create another memorable and original film.
The tagline for "Elizabethtown" is "It's a heck of a place to find yourself." I enjoyed this film so much that I'm glad Crowe helped me find myself - again.
