Crowe's 'Elizabethtown' fine film, if too long

It has often reflected – and often reacted to – the immediate state of the world. In some rare cases – Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” comes to mind – it has managed to do both at the same time.

In the post-9/11 world, it’s not unreasonable to believe the film industry would be churning out little more than shoot-to-kill, us-against-them action pictures.

There really hasn’t been more of that fare than usual, and the romantic, heartfelt, human dramas of late have been as well-done as they have been welcome.

In the past month, “Broken Flowers,” “Saving Face” and “Me and You and Everyone We Know” have played in town. Cameron Crowe’s “Elizabethtown,” opened last weekend.

All of these are films that soothe but don’t sugarcoat.

Crowe’s bio reads like a rock geek’s dream: He was writing for “Creem” and “Rolling Stone” while still in his teens. He’s been married to Nancy Wilson of the band Heart for a good long while. He’s moved beyond rock journalism and become a respected (and bankable) screenwriter/ director.

His most successful movie, “Almost Famous,” was loosely based on his own rock geek history.

But he’s not simply lucky.

He’s talented.

Crowe’s latest film, “Elizabethtown,” has some serious flaws, but it is also his most deeply complicated work to date.

And it’s reacting to – rather than reflecting – the state of the world as we know it.

It’s sentimental, sweet and revolves around more than one great love story.

Orlando Bloom – the cute elf in the trilogy of films featuring little people walking, walking and walking some more – stars as Drew Baylor.

Drew works for a super-hip shoe company, but his latest design has fallen flat.

In fact, it has “inspired an entire generation to go barefoot …”

The failure has cost the company $972 million, which Drew’s boss (Alec Baldwin in a great cameo) reminds him, “can be rounded off into one BILLION dollars.”

Drew contemplates suicide, but then has another life-changing experience.

Drew’s dad, on a trip back to the family’s hometown of Elizabethtown, Ky., has died. Drew is elected to take charge of funeral arrangements.

Sister Heather (Judy Greer) is functional but not able. Younger brother Jessie (Paul Schneider) is not an option. Mom – played by Susan Sarandon in a role that makes you remember just how good she always is – is an emotional (but nobly so) wreck. She wants to take up tap dancing and organic cooking. No reasonable member of the audience can blame her. The character – and Sarandon’s working of it – acts as glue for the whole.

Her soliloquy in the final act is a priceless moment.

The final piece of this emotional jigsaw puzzle is filled by flight attendant Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst). Claire meets Drew on his flight to Elizabethtown.

She and Drew seem to be polar opposites but it’s obvious from their first encounter they are going to be a “movie couple.”

That’s not a criticism. The relationship is believable, funny and entirely original.

Dunst is a great actress. It’s to her credit that she took this role. Like Sarandon, her onscreen time is limited. But all of the women in the film are powerful.

For a man, Crowe has a knack for writing female characters.

Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) in “Almost Famous” and Diane Court (Ione Skye) in Crowe’s first movie, “Say Anything,” are far beyond the norm for Hollywood female protagonists.

True to his rock-n-roll geek beginnings, Crowe uses music to greater effect than most of his contemporaries. The third act, especially, will bring lumps to the throats of those who grew up with pop music as a background to their lives. The soundtrack CD is a must-have.

Even pared down 13 minutes from its original length, “Elizabethtown” is too long. Some of the individual scenes go on far longer than they should. Other scenes could have been cut entirely. Some may criticize it for being too much like “Garden State.”

Still it’s a great story and a fine film. The good things more than make up for the faults.

Crowe, like other great writer/directors, is doing a nice job of reacting to, rather than reflecting, the state of the world at this moment.

Thank the powers that be for the power of film.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.