More than a kid missing from "Freedomland"
In movies, virtually nothing happens by accident, so when we see the words "Directed by Joe Roth" superimposed over a pair of bloody hands — well, we draw our own conclusions. Roth, whose last movie was the truly horrific "Christmas with the Kranks," here takes his red hands to Richard Price's novel "Freedomland," and the result is a jittery, overwrought drama that does all it can to vanquish the fine performances lurking within it.
Price's screenplay is itself problematic, filled with characters who seem to speak at each other, in theatrical pronouncements, rather than really conversing. The 1998 novel is a fascinating read: a powerful tale of three people and several dark days in New Jersey. Brenda, an anguished mother, claims that her son has been kidnapped in a predominantly black section of town. Lorenzo, a local detective beloved in that community, connects with her even as he tries to quell neighborhood unrest. And Jesse, a young journalist, watches Brenda carefully, determined to reveal what's really happening.
"Freedomland," with Samuel L. Jackson, Julianne Moore, Edie Falco, Ron Eldard, William Forsythe, Aunjanue Ellis, Anthony Mackie. Directed by Joe Roth, from a screenplay by Richard Price, based on his novel. 113 minutes. Rated R for language and some violent content. Several theaters.
For the film, Price has removed the journalist from the mix — understandable in turns of trimming down the story, but a mistake. The movie desperately needs a calmer, balancing presence; someone less tied up in the drama. As Brenda and Lorenzo, Julianne Moore and Samuel L. Jackson spend the entire film tense and overwrought. Moore, in particular, has to play devastation in every scene. This, combined with the hyperactive pace and swoopy camera work (particularly in the first third of the film), makes "Freedomland" ultimately an exhausting experience. You become numb to it too quickly, and its drama doesn't register.
That's a shame, because there's some beautiful work here. As Karen, the leader of a parents' group who helps to find lost children, Edie Falco is startlingly vivid. In a scene with Moore, as Karen tries to persuade Brenda to tell her what happened the night of the kidnapping, Falco's voice becomes a mesmerizing whisper; this woman is a quiet tower of strength. Moore, though ill-served by her exhausting role, has some heartbreaking moments. Her Brenda found strength as a mother and now feels it slipping away; we practically see her fading before our eyes.
And Jackson movingly creates a big-hearted man worn down by life, yet still hoping. In one scene, Lorenzo (who, it turns out, has his own issues with a missing son) begins to laugh, but the sound quickly slides into tears. He's seen too much; unfortunately, by the end of this movie, so have we.
Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com