The film stars Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman, Jamie Chung, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne. Hit the jump for the Rudderless trailer and poster. Samuel Goldwyn Films releases the film in Theaters and on VOD on October 17th, 2014.
rudderless-trailer-posterHere’s the official synopsis for Rudderless:
In William H. Macy’s moving directorial debut RUDDERLESS, Billy Crudup plays Sam, a former high-profile advertising executive whose life is torn apart by the sudden death of his son. Living off the grid on a docked sailboat, he wastes away his days while drowning his pain in alcohol. When Sam discovers a box filled with his son’s demo tapes and lyrics, his own child’s musical talent is a revelation for him, a grieving father who felt he’d been absent from his son’s life. Communing with his deceased son’s dashed dreams, Sam learns each song and eventually musters the will to perform one at a local bar. When Quentin, a young musician in the audience, is captivated by the song, the unlikely duo forms a rock band that becomes surprisingly popular and revitalizes both of their lives.
As William H. Macy's feature directorial debut, Rudderless is a heartwarming, sobering and surprisingly fun indie rock drama that explores themes of loss, indulgence, guilt and happiness. Macy is joined by an equally formidable cast that includes Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman and Laurence Fishburne. While the story can sometimes teeter into melodrama, that's offset by great performances and a rockin' soundtrack.
However, at the onset, Rudderless braces the audience for doom and gloom. The story follows Sam (Crudup), whose life is shattered by the sudden death of his college-age son. Unable to cope, he decides to live off the grid on a docked sailboat, drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Two years later, his ex-wife (Huffman) gives Sam a box of their son's old possessions, including notebooks and CD recordings of unpublished music. Moved by his son's work, Sam decides to perform one of the songs at a local bar. This catches the attention of Quentin (Yelchin), a young man who becomes obsessed with Sam's music and urges him to share it with the world. Together, they form a small band, dubbed Rudderless, and become a local sensation -- all while Sam harbors the secret origins of the songs they play.
As I mentioned before, the performances here are top-notch. Crudup nails the lead role and expresses just the right amount of emotion to inform the audience. Likewise, his dynamic with
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Yelchin is fun to watch, particularly in the early going, as Quentin relentlessly pushes Sam into performing with him. Predictably, their friendship turns into a kind of father/son relationship, although that's never explicitly stated. It then becomes something else entirely after a major twist occurs, one that I won't spoil for you here. Unfortunately, that muddles the story somewhat and renders Sam's journey morally suspect. In deference to the script, it also adds clarity and depth to his character, but it's a lofty turn of events that doesn't get fully explored.
Not surprisingly, the best part of Rudderless is the music (composed by Simon Steadman and Charlton Pettus). Six songs play throughout the film, each one with its own distinct hook. From Sam's first solo performance, which is notably personal and heartfelt, to the lighter, more upbeat rock songs that dominate the second half, there's a broad range of music here that gets explored under the folk rock umbrella. The soundtrack is so resonant in fact that it sometimes overshadows the main storyline, although never to the film's detriment. On the contrary, it actually elevates scenes that might otherwise be less impactful. In terms of story, the songs also mark emotional touchstones for Sam, whose journey often aligns with the music.
The film's Oklahoma setting adds another layer of whimsy to the proceedings, in addition to the soundtrack. Having grown up in Oklahoma myself, I can attest to the film's accurate portrayal of the Sooner State, which showcases both the small-town quaintness and divey-but-trendy night life. Cinematically, this creates a great visual atmosphere, and Macy captures it all through rose-tinted glasses. Combine that with the music and performances, and Rudderless is definitely worth checking out.
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