Waste of time

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Artist Bo Groden (Amy Brenneman) recalls her childhood. As an eleven-year old (Valentina de Angelis), she lives in the remote New Mexican desert. Her father Charley (Sam Elliott) is suffering from depression. Her mother Arlene (Joan Allen) is concerned. George (J.K. Simmons) is her godfather. They are visited by IRS agent William Gibbs. He meets Arlene weeding the garden naked and falls for her. Bo paints a long ocean drawing and buys a sailboat on her MasterCard.This thing meanders and saunters without much tension or drama. It flows and floats. This movie needs Campbell Scott to bring a structure and style to the material. There are interesting bits. The performances are nice but they need a structure to put them in.

It never fails to amaze me how people will give "9" or "10" ratings to very weak films. This movie is well-intentioned, with ONE great performance in it (Joan Allen's). When Joan Allen is on screen, the film's humanity comes through. Unfortunately, the movie is mortally wounded by a cute, precocious performance by Valentina De Angelis, one of the most self-aware, obnoxious child actresses I've ever seen. She RUINS this film.If I had a daughter like Ms. De Angelis, I'd become a depressed catatonic like Sam Elliott's character, too.Nice photography, not bad direction, passable soundtrack.Shame about that Valentina De Angelis performance. Hand me another Prozac and some Gummi Bears, will ya?4 stars.

The writing was poetic, real, human. I have been recommending this movie to every lover of film and words that I know. There were sections of the script which sounded like poetry, and yet, retained a natural flow. I especially liked many of the scenes with the character George. The boat scene seemed a little over the top, but the filmmakers even pulled that off. Hopefully, Off the Map will rock the careers of some talented people and put them On the Map in terms of job opportunities and film viewers' expectations. I know I'm going to look up Joan Ackerman as soon as I complete this to see what her other writing credits include. If you're more concerned with characterization and meaningful dynamics between people than with yawn yawn action, see this film and listen closely.

Sometimes a really good movie comes along, with characters that remind you of people you know (including yourself) and the ability to weave a plot around everyday life. This is one of those. The character development is its centre-piece and strength. Though it doesn't say it's a "True Story", it depicts truth and you know you've been there before with some of the scenes. A film for all ages - don't let the "nudity" warning put you off - This film depicts very real people is a very real country setting that is fast becoming something we only remember from our childhood. As the ocean of the past recedes, and the sky of future comes, learn again to enjoy the horizon of the present!