Director: David Gordon Green,
Starring: Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch, Lance LeGault, Joyce Payne,
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Certificate: 15
With the DVD box art declaring “From the director of PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and YOUR HIGHNESS”, it must also be kept in mind that before his trilogy of louder/broader comedies, which culminated in the atrocious THE SITTER, David Gordon Green made much more powerful and much, much, quieter films. Among these were the classic ALL THE REAL GIRLS, the sublime GEORGE WASHINGTON, and the very moving SNOW ANGELS. PRINCE AVALANCHE has more in common with these films than it does his more recent efforts, and anyone expecting the energy of PINEAPPLE EXPRESS or the crudeness of YOUR HIGHNESS will be very disappointed.
Based on a small Icelandic film, PRINCE AVALANCHE takes its two protagonists and puts them in the middle of nowhere Texas. Alivin (Rudd) and Lance (Hirsch) travel along the roads far from civilisation and paint the dividing lines between the left and right lanes of the road. It’s a literal road movie, as the two have only each other which becomes increasingly difficult. Alvin is dating Lance’s sister and has given the laid back Lance a job as a favour.
Alvin is very much in tune with his solitude, and uses the time to think and organise his life, while Lance is more unsettled and can’t wait to get back to the city. It’s an interesting mix where the audience will no doubt respond to one or the other, as Alvins will enjoy the slow pace, lack of dialogue, and beauty found in nature, whereas if you’re a Lance, it may be a harder film to connect with. The humour is also very gentle with Rudd and Hirsch’s performances wonderfully restrained..
Personally, I find it to be a return to form for Green, with a very delicate approach with many ambiguous elements to analyse. Certain moments of the film become almost spiritual which is enhanced by the tremendous score by Explosions In The Sky. The score and stunning visuals capture early morning wake-ups in the spring, and you can almost feel the chill that comes with the dawn, and sense the fine dew all around.
PRINCE AVALANCHE is a lovely film through and through. The relationship between Alvin and Lance develops in both a humorous and natural way, while also managing to have a surreal quality which has already lead to many interesting theories about the true meaning of the film. This is the kind of film you could easily drift off to, but not because it’s boring, but due to the fact that like the outdoor locations, it’s a very calming and soothing experience .
[usr=4]PRINCE AVALANCHE is released on DVD on 10th February.
