Off the Map (2005)
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] nudity and thematic elements
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Theatrical Release: Mar 11, 2005 Limited
Box Office: $1,257,674
Synopsis: Across the ancient high desert landscape of northern New Mexico, an extraordinary family embarks on a lyrical journey of self-discovery that reveals unexpected moments of grace and the unpredictable but enduring nature of love. In Campbell Scott's OFF THE MAP, the poetry of a time and a... Across the ancient high desert landscape of northern New Mexico, an extraordinary family embarks on a lyrical journey of self-discovery that reveals unexpected moments of grace and the unpredictable but enduring nature of love. In Campbell Scott's OFF THE MAP, the poetry of a time and a place marked by simplicity comes into full bloom. It's 1974 and the harshly beautiful wilds of Taos are home to 11-year-old Bo Groden (Valentina de Angelis) and her free-thinking family. While constantly yearning for escape from her sparse environment, Bo passes the time with flair and imagination. She's a crack shot with a rifle and a bow and arrow, an artful plunderer of wallets and briefcases, and the compelling mistress of ceremonies for a moonlit three-ring circus of her own invention. Bo's home is an entrancing, challenging place that she will one day transcend to become the woman she was destined to be. Arlene (Joan Allen), Bo's warm, earthy, and eccentric mother, raises most of the family's food in her vegetable garden -- which she prefers to tend in the nude. Meanwhile, Bo's father, Charley (Sam Elliott), the embodiment of Old West masculinity, is losing the battle with his inner demons. When William Gibbs (Jim True-Frost) arrives, a hapless IRS agent with demons of his own, he soon proves to be a catalyst in the lives of the family during this watershed summer. Embraced by the Grodens' idyllic, peculiar world, Gibbs eventually abandons an investigation into the Grodens' tax history and realizes he has fallen in love with both the place and its people. In a surge of creative energy, Gibbs dips a brush in paint and pours his feelings out on canvas, discovering a long hidden talent for artistic expression. The Grodens, too, make their own discoveries over the course of this memorable season -- the mysteries of love and loss, the power of family unity, and the eternal truth that in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, anything is possible. Holedigger Studios presents OFF THE MAP, directed by Campbell Scott from a play by Joan Ackermann, who adapted the material for the screen. Scott and George Van Buskirk produced the film, with Martin Garvey and David Newman serving as executive producers. Jonathan Filley is the co-producer. The creative team includes director of photography Juan Ruiz Anchía, editor Andy Keir and production designer Chris Shriver. Amy Westcott designed the costumes and the original music is by Gary DeMichele. Marc Campbell is music supervisor. OFF THE MAP stars Joan Allen, a three-time Oscar® nominee for her performances in THE CONTENDER, THE CRUCIBLE and NIXON, Valentina de Angelis, Sam Elliott, J.K. Simmons, Jim True-Frost and Amy Brenneman. -- © Hole Digger Films [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Joan Allen, Amy Brenneman, Sam Elliott, J.K. Simmons
DVD Info
Release:
Aug 9, 2005
DVD Features:
- Widescreen
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
- Subtitles - English - Closed Captioning
- Subtitles - English - Optional
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - Campbell Scott - Director
- Behind the Scenes - 1. Making-of Featurette
- 2. Scene Deconstruction
- Trailers - Bonus Previews
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
I should point out that one character that makes the biggest impact is the landscape itself.
[Off the Map] takes time to breathe, to savor the present and not get bogged down in all the little things that often dominate our attention.
Scott lets the story take its own time, revealing its secrets in its own special way.
Off the Map ... is a movie you soak in and examine, like a painting in an art gallery. You study its shades and lines so you can appreciate the work as a whole.
Quiet and quirky, yet refreshingly unpretentious, Off the Map is a welcome sojourn in a place that seems strange, yet entirely familiar.
[A] lovely film, which hardly ever makes a move that feels wrong.
...eloquently written but not overwritten, with a story that ultimately feels less like a literary construct and more like a spontaneous celebration of a few lived lives...
You can't get past the knowledge that you've seen it all before, and often better.
A poetically rugged demonstration of these hypotheses, in which nature and human nature are shown to be variations of the same thing.
A journey into an austere land of moviemaking where few artists dare go.
Its distinctive rhythms and off-kilter humor introduce us to some intriguing people and make us eager to find out what will happen to them.
The stunning, almost scarily beautiful New Mexico landscape plays such a pivotal role that it ought to be listed in the credits right below Sam Elliott’s name.
Actually, Scott's drab family drama is easy to find. It's located somewhere on the border between tedious and terrible.
Off the Map requires a bit of patience and a willingness to let the story come to you, but it's worth the wait.
There's very scant plot here; rather, it feels like a sort of escapist fantasy for celebrities in the big city who get tired of all the people surrounding them.
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by: puroporos 12/28/05


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