The always-superb Day-Lewis and bright newcomer Belle almost redeem this pretentious, improbable scenario. But almost isn't enough.
The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:107
Fresh:49
Rotten:58
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: Heavy on the symbolism and overly contrived.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language, sexual content and some drug material
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Mar 25, 2005 Limited
Box Office: $578,570
Synopsis: Writer-director Rebecca Miller's third film (following ANGELA and PERSONAL VELOCITY) is a powerful, poignant drama about a father and daughter living on their own on the outskirts of nowhere, just... Writer-director Rebecca Miller's third film (following ANGELA and PERSONAL VELOCITY) is a powerful, poignant drama about a father and daughter living on their own on the outskirts of nowhere, just as developers are starting to move in. Daniel Day-Lewis (Miller's husband) stars as Jack Slavin, a 1960s holdover who is a man of the earth, working the land and defending his territory while eschewing such modernities as television. Jack is devoted to his daughter, Rose (Camilla Belle), a 16-year-old girl who is equally as devoted to him. But Jack is sick, so he asks his girlfriend, Kathleen (Catherine Keener), along with her two sons, Rodney (Ryan McDonald) and Thaddius (Paul Dano), to come from the mainland and move in with them, thinking they can be Rose's family once he dies. But Rose begins to act out in dangerous ways, threatening to severely damage the already fragile relationships that are developing. Day-Lewis gives a shattering, emotional performance as Jack, and he is matched well with Belle, who seems wise beyond her years. Filmed on location on Prince Edward Island, THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE is a harrowing, intimate film set in a beautiful, lush land. This film screened at the 2005 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. [More]
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener, Paul Dano
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener, Paul Dano, Jena Malone, Beau Bridges, Jason Lee, Susanna Thompson, Ryan McDonald
Director: Rebecca Miller
Director: Rebecca Miller
Screenwriter: Rebecca Miller
Producer: Lemore Syvan, Jonathan Sehring, Caroline Kaplan
Composer: Michael Rohatyn
Studio: IFC Films
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Reviews for The Ballad of Jack and Rose
Poignant, melancholic and a little strange, The Ballad of Jack and Rose is an effective rendering of the loss of innocence and the acceptance that some ideals can't survive in a modern world.
Rebecca Miller’s third feature begins as a two-character drama, and it would have been so much better if it had stayed that way.
Murky, disturbing stuff that most of the time does better at repelling viewers than compelling them to stick around to see what happens next.
The entire movie seems to be suffering from the same suffocating disease as Jack.
Doesn't seem to know what it wants to be, and that's right down to its artificial-feeling ending.
We leave this movie hoping to see Miller and Lewis together again soon.
Performances are exceptional in this melodramatic film from the daughter of Arthur Miller.
Cinematic flourishes intoxicate until the hangover of retrospect sets in, and you recognize the unhealthiness of the filial relationship this scene has celebrated.
Jack's realizations, particularly vis-à-vis his daughter, offer rich dramatic possibilities.
It's generally a bad sign when you find yourself actively longing for the deadly copperhead snake that co-stars to take a nice, juicy bite out of the alleged protagonist.
The film's characters serve their schematic functions in Miller's story and never stray outside them.
If Miller's drama begins as a wistful ballad, it decomposes into an overwrought dirge.
While I appreciate and respect Miller’s focus on nature and innocence, I couldn’t help but feel the film was puffed up and sustaining itself on esoteric nonsense.
The appeal of the piece is limited; the telling of it is accomplished
Day-Lewis brings the picture closer, by himself, to the ballad of its title than to the dirge it constantly threatens to be.
Latest News for The Ballad of Jack and Rose
February 07, 2008:
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Adds Four Famous Faces
Rebecca Miller's follow-up to The Ballad of Jack and Rose is rapidly becoming something of an all-star production. More...
December 13, 2005:
Awards Season Gets Rolling with Crix Picks
If you're a fan of the late-year awards season, be sure to add Movie City News to your hit list, because they deliver some consistently excellent coverage. Mid-December is when... More...
June 03, 2005:
Camilla Belle Signs Up for "Stranger" Duty
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
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| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
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| 90% 90% | District 9 |
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