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"Woodfalls" has no problem creating a dire, realistic portrayal of the life of so many people. It makes no attempt to show any of it's characters in any form of a "happy-go-lucky" light, as it gradually reveals how life is lived by so much of the population, in it's most realistic form. I wouldn't ask for any other kind of portrayal, as this is the main drama of the film. Set in a "seemingly" closer knit community, "Woodfalls" demonstrates racism at it's most basic level. Not so much centering around skin color, rather that of life choices. In this particular case, a form of modern day gypsy. From a scene very early in the film, where a man is attacked by a small group of a-holes, simply for "being" one such gypsy, I realized I was in for a very gritty adventure that put realism above all else. The "hork" in the beer routine almost made me vomit. Enough on that.
The overall presentation generally follows the three act rule. For this title however, each act focuses on a different person, another point of view. Kind of. The first is the introduction to the premise, and also happens to be the least interesting. However, it is interesting enough to keep you following along, and is necessary to introduce the large cast of characters. For me, the middle of the film contained it's finest moments with a final act that could have been largely left out. Although it did solidify the motivations for the previous acts, giving them much more meaning. On the grand scale of things however, "Woodfalls" felt more like "A Day In The Life" kind of movie. If you're looking for a large scale and epic narrative, you won't find it here. On the other hand? We don't always need a "man saves world" plot to appreciate a good drama. This is life with people living it as best they can. Sometimes selfish, other times brutally violent, yet always keeping in the vein of realism. I can't even pretend to completely understand the life-styles of these characters. Yet I do understand racism, hate and fear. To enjoy "Woodfalls" that's really all you need. A "what-if" sensibility. The fact David Campion chose "not" to simplify or "white wash" over how hard life can be, was not lost on me in any sense. As a matter of fact, I think I enjoyed this film a lot more because of it. |
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"Woodfalls" is not a film about visual elevation, it's about the seasoning of the plot. David Campion proves that you can put pretty much anything in the pot if you add the right amount of spices to simmer. In this case the "spices" are the actors and visually, this is about as independent as you're going to get. Excluding the "true nightmare" indie films recorded on cell phones and edited in windows movie maker. Here, shots are shaky, blurry and out of frame at times. Yet for "Woodfalls" this adds more an element of realism than irritation. Having that low budget style actually works in this film, which is something I don't get a chance to write that often. That stone cold reality of a greasy production. Bluntly? It worked for me.
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Definite proof that you don't always need a completely original or epic story to make an entertaining film. "Woodfalls" manages just fine keeping things simple, although the lives of the characters themselves are definitely not simple at all. It's not the complications of the characters that push this title along, it's the simplicity of the overall story. The old saying of keeping things simple and easy comes to mind. I could argue that the slightly complicated format used to actually "tell" the story completely counters the simplicity of the narrative, but by the ending of the film it doesn't matter any more. It all makes sense. Pumped full of excellent performances and lots of heart, "Woodfalls" exceeded my expectations on so many levels. While the realistic and rough edged style may put off some viewers, it's their loss. A splendidly uncomfortable experience awaits any person who dares take a peek. As in real life, this isn't a perfect movie. That also happens to be what makes it so compelling.
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