SUNDANCE 2006: right at your door
A series of dirty bombs are set of in Los Angeles, spreading a toxic cloud all over the city. Brad (Rory Cochrane) is forced to seal up the house, trapping his wife Lexi (Mary McCormick) outside in the toxic debris. This is the set up for RIGHT AT YOUR FRONT DOOR, a personal story a disaster and an interesting look at humanity and love.
This film from Chris Gorak is a fascinating look at an event that is all too possible in today’s climate of fear. A couple of years ago, SIGNS looked at an alien invasion through the eyes of one family in Pennsylvania. Gorak takes a similar approach here. This is a big story, but because the focus is on one house and the effects on one family, there is no need for a movie full of effects and explosions. There are a few select shots where visual effects were used and they were extremely convincing, setting the stage for the drama. I believed what I saw in those shots, so I knew what the stakes were.
This movie raises lots of questions. The biggest one is… put in that situation, what would you do? It never shies away from the impact of the decisions made or the pain that it brings. The acting in the film is strong, emotional and always felt real to me. This is a big movie in the shell of an independent. If handled right, RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR could be a big hit along the likes of 28 DAYS LATER.
There was some talk about the themes and messages of the film during the question and answer session with Gorak. The person next to me made a comment along the lines of “That’s what you get when you trust the government.” I couldn’t disagree more. This is not a political movie. Even thought there are attacks that perpetuate the events in the film, there is never once a mention of terrorists or who performed the attacks. That was a very deliberate choice by the director. This is a story about people. A husband and a wife. A look at how a terrible event effects their lives, their relationship, their love and the choices that they make when it comes down to it.
This is a very well crafted film and Gorak show great skill creating tension in a confined environment. The photography by Tom Richmond is beautiful. The ash falls from the LA sky like pure snow, creating a pristine, but terrifying scenery. I was expecting nothing walking into RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR and I was entertained thoroughly for 90 minutes. Look for this one when it comes out and hopefully gets the marketing it deserves.
This film from Chris Gorak is a fascinating look at an event that is all too possible in today’s climate of fear. A couple of years ago, SIGNS looked at an alien invasion through the eyes of one family in Pennsylvania. Gorak takes a similar approach here. This is a big story, but because the focus is on one house and the effects on one family, there is no need for a movie full of effects and explosions. There are a few select shots where visual effects were used and they were extremely convincing, setting the stage for the drama. I believed what I saw in those shots, so I knew what the stakes were.
This movie raises lots of questions. The biggest one is… put in that situation, what would you do? It never shies away from the impact of the decisions made or the pain that it brings. The acting in the film is strong, emotional and always felt real to me. This is a big movie in the shell of an independent. If handled right, RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR could be a big hit along the likes of 28 DAYS LATER.
There was some talk about the themes and messages of the film during the question and answer session with Gorak. The person next to me made a comment along the lines of “That’s what you get when you trust the government.” I couldn’t disagree more. This is not a political movie. Even thought there are attacks that perpetuate the events in the film, there is never once a mention of terrorists or who performed the attacks. That was a very deliberate choice by the director. This is a story about people. A husband and a wife. A look at how a terrible event effects their lives, their relationship, their love and the choices that they make when it comes down to it.
This is a very well crafted film and Gorak show great skill creating tension in a confined environment. The photography by Tom Richmond is beautiful. The ash falls from the LA sky like pure snow, creating a pristine, but terrifying scenery. I was expecting nothing walking into RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR and I was entertained thoroughly for 90 minutes. Look for this one when it comes out and hopefully gets the marketing it deserves.
posted by Humby | 7:46 PM
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