John Sayles seems to do two different kinds of movies. One involves just a few central characters and few actual sets, as in "Limbo". And in the other kind of movie he brings together a dozen or more characters in a single locale, and using more locations, like "City of Hope" and "Sunshine State".
In this movie Sayles uses the fictional community of Delrona Beach, Florida to tell his story. The threads of the plot include a compulsive gambler (Gordon Clapp) and his wife (Mary Steenbergen), A newlywed woman coming home to confront her past, the annual Buccaneer Days festival/celebration, and the efforts by a developer to buy out the residents in order to build a proper tourist trap (not just one that gears up once a year).
As in all Sayles films, the characters drive the plot (not vice versa). He has pulled together a cast of easily recognizable character actors like Clapp and Miguel Ferrer (when is he gonna play a nice guy?) plus some local talent. All do a remarkable job.
So, what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Get up, drive over to the video store and rent this one. And get one or two of Sayles' other films as well.
In this movie Sayles uses the fictional community of Delrona Beach, Florida to tell his story. The threads of the plot include a compulsive gambler (Gordon Clapp) and his wife (Mary Steenbergen), A newlywed woman coming home to confront her past, the annual Buccaneer Days festival/celebration, and the efforts by a developer to buy out the residents in order to build a proper tourist trap (not just one that gears up once a year).
As in all Sayles films, the characters drive the plot (not vice versa). He has pulled together a cast of easily recognizable character actors like Clapp and Miguel Ferrer (when is he gonna play a nice guy?) plus some local talent. All do a remarkable job.
So, what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Get up, drive over to the video store and rent this one. And get one or two of Sayles' other films as well.
