A woman struggles to win back the son she lost when she divorced her husband in a gritty drama that marks the directorial debut of actor Chris Eigeman. Kailey (Famke Janssen) is a woman who makes her living playing high-stakes poker and hustling pool, a trade she learned from her longtime friend Quinn (Rip Torn). Kailey's rough-and-tumble life drove a wedge between her and her husband, David (Matt Ross), and when they split up he won custody of their son, Gulley (Jaymie Dornan). However, while
David was seemingly the sober and respectable one in their relationship, in truth he's a heavy drinker whose life is controlled by his wealthy, bullying mother, Abigail (Lois Smith). Gulley is unhappy living with David, and unbeknown to his father the boy has been corresponding with Kailey as they plan to start a new life together in Canada. However, Kailey is unable to get legitimate papers for herself and her son, so she heads to New York City to raise the 50,000 dollars she'll need to get passports on the black market. Turn the River also stars Marin Hinkle, John Juback, and Terry Kinney. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
It's not sharp or ironic, but drab and downbeat. Unfortunately, it's also going to feel utterly familiar to those who've seen their share of independent dramas in the last 15 years.
We're left after this terse and anxious film knowing nothing more about the world than that Janssen looks cool bending over and glaring at the eight-ball
It's a bumpy film, and though no one may see it, it's impossible to imagine it playing as gracefully, like its effectively open-ended finale, without Janssen's conviction to her role.
In "Turn the River," Kailey Sullivan(Famke Janssen, doing a fine Sandra Bullock impression) is a pool player who has been forbidden from seeing her 10-year old son Gulley(Jaymie Dornan) since he was born. However, that does not stop her from contacting him via a dead letter drop at a pool hall or meeting him in
Central Park when she is in New York City. Lately, she has noticed Gulley's broken arm, ascribing this to his father(Matt Ross) and hatches a plot to run away with her son.
The poorly directed "Turn the River" wastes a good cast in a failed attempt to capture the atmosphere of smoke-filled pool halls by going for a melodramatic premise that ends on a false note. I know that Gulley's father is quite possibly abusive but Kailey is not the solution, even though the movie tries in vain to make her sympathetic.(Since when do criminal lowlifes do anything without getting paid beforehand?) Even if she had come up with a way that is not half-baked to get her son, her parenting skills leave something to be desired since she is pure impulse, uncontrollably twitching when a game is not imminent.(Gulley probably finds her coolness and lack of responsibility refreshing.) And even with a full explanation at the end, I still do not exactly buy the story as to how Kailey and Gulley met.
August 7, 2009
Walter M.
Super Reviewer
Famke Janssen shines in this film!!! One of her best performances. The film reminded me of the film Trucker. Nice ensemble. I definitely recommend this film, especially cause of Famke's performance.
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