MOVIE - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG - $$$$$ $$$ (OUT OF 10)

STARRING - Jennifer Connelly (Kathy Nicolo), Ben Kingsley (Colonel Behrani), Ron Eldard (Lester Burdon), Frances Fisher (Connie Walsh), Kim Dickens (Carol Burdon), Shohreh Aghdashloo (Nadi Behrani) & Jonathan Ahdout (Esmail Behrani).

DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER - Vadim Perelman (feature debut)

Based upon the novel, "House of Sand and Fog", by Andre Dubus III.

The House of Sand and Fog is a rare movie in that its characters respond, very naturally, to the contrived circumstances they find themselves in. The House of Sand and Fog is both brilliant and ridiculous at the same time.

The ridiculous aspects of the movie derive from three sources. The first is the multitude of coincidences that have to occur for the lives of these characters to intersect in the manner they do. A prime example is the relationship between Kathy (Connelly) and Deputy Sheriff Burdon (Eldard). You have to accept that this somewhat corrupt cop would leave his wife and kids for a recovering alcoholic abandoned by her husband, who lives in a pigsty and isn't ambitious enough to even open her mail in the last six months. Plausible, just barely, but its a little hard to fathom what the attraction is. The movie is filled with similar plot developments that are equally hard to swallow.

The second source of ridiculousness in the House of Sand and Fog is its less than subtle setting up of the premise. When dropping Kathy off, after a dinner date which itself was the result of a huge coincidence, Burden advises her to stay away from the house during the litigation of the dispute. This suggestion, which seemingly comes out of thin air, is immediately followed by, you guessed it, Kathy going to the house.

Another example of the same phenomena is the house in question which just happens to have an ocean view like Colonel Behrani's (Kingsley) former palatial summer retreat on the Caspian Sea. In case you miss the connection, which helps explain Behrani's attachment to the house, Director Perelman reminds you at every possible opportunity.

This heavy handed direction is the third source of ridiculousness in the film. Perelman also resorts to numerous shots of the lone white dove and the fallen feathers of said dove as well as the Caspian Sea. Perelman admitted in a recent article in Newsweek that he comes off as arrogant to say the least. It shows in his directorial style. He knows best and the audience is not to be trusted to figure out the significance of various scenes for themselves. I haven't been hit over the head this often since suffering through Kevin Costner's pathetic direction of Open Range.

After reading the above you'd think I really didn't enjoy House of Sand and Fog. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The performances and the depth of the characters portrayed save this film.

Though the premise is contrived the characters, for the most part, are not. Kingsley perfectly captures the wounded pride of the former Colonel. His character, in almost robotic conformity, responds in a manner consistent with his nature. That may not seem like a big thing but it is. The Colonel, unlike so many other underdeveloped main characters in other films, is fleshed out enough for you to appreciate, if not like, his reactions. The same can be said of Connelly's performance and character too. Typical of her addictive personality she has little regard for others and is more than willing to ply her womanly charms to achieve her own selfish goals.

Its the collision of these two personalities, which are spot on, that makes the House of Sand and Fog so compelling. The author of the original novel, Andre Dubus III, deserves credit for so vividly capturing the psychological dimensions of his main protagonists.

The rest of the characters, in the movie at least, are not as well developed. In particular, Mrs. Behrani flip-flops between loving wife and spoiled witch too frequently. Her true purpose seems to be to heighten insight into the Colonel's motivations. Deputy Sheriff Burdon is also a compilation of clichés.

The House of Sand and Fog manages to overcome its extremely contrived circumstances and deliver an intense personal drama worth seeing.

Running time - 126 minutes

Check out my TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2003 & WORST MOVIES OF 2003 lists.

Alternative Reviews:

Roger Ebert's Review

Peter Travers/Rolling Stone Review

Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

House of Sand and Fog Official Web Site

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