THE GO-GETTER (SUNDANCE 2007)

A fun film that is an instant road trip classic.

The story revolves around a young man, Mercer, that picks up, steals a car, and heads out on the road to find his estranged half-brother. As is typical of road trip films Mercer encounters a catalog of characters that influence not only his travel route, but also his views on life and himself. The one thing that these characters cannot influence is Mercer’s idealistic views of the brother he barely knows at all. The acting is fun to watch, the landscapes enchanting, and the story is as captivating as it is entertaining.

This film is full of great up and coming indie actors. Lou Taylor Pucci came onto the scene with Thumbsucker at the 2005 Sundance film festival and even won a jury prize. He is a great actor with a strong presence on screen where he is joined by two of my favorite young female actresses, Jena Malone and Zooey Deschanel. Jena has an incredible energy and exudes it in all of her work. Saved! is one of my favorite films by her. In almost stark contrast is the subtle, but completely entrancing, Deschanel. Her striking gaze and soft-voiced character fill this movie with romanticism that keeps it going. The supporting actors all nailed their characters as well. Maura Tierney is very funny and the Predator hunter Bill Duke is perfect for his part.

The story is a coming of age tale that many people can relate to. Things get going right away as Mercer steals a car within the first five minutes of the film. From there, the journey begins and takes the viewer through a zig-zag world in a wild west like landscape. It’s gritty, uneasy and most of all it is totally appealing. The story does not flow easily and predictably. It jumps around and neither you nor Mercer knows where he is going to be headed. The finish line to his journey is his nomadic brother.

Martin Hynes has written and directed a wonderful story that is visually, acoustically and emotionally stimulating. The soundtrack, which is mostly done by M Ward, is a great addition to the film and carries it very well. A great journey to watch and experience for yourself.


GRADE: B+