Review: Uncertainty (2009)
August 28th 2010 01:05
Uncertainty (2009, McGehee, Siegel)
Basically, the concept for Uncertainty is the small decisions we make and how they effect of our daily lives. The film begins with the protagonists wondering what they’re doing to do today; if today is going to be ‘the day’, (we learn what that means later). “Brooklyn or New York?” Bobby asks his girlfriend Kate in the opening scene. On the Brooklyn Bridge, they flip a coin. The film then branches off into two different parallel segments: Blue and Yellow. Blue is what would have happened if they spent the day in Brooklyn; Yellow is what would have happened if they spent the day in Manhattan. By far, the ‘Yellow’ storyline is the most intriguing. The ‘Blue’ storyline is mundane for the most part and brings down the pace of the film; however, it’s necessary as it contains a major plot point, perhaps even the driving plot point behind the film.
The film stars Joseph Gordon Levitt and Lyn Collins. The script contained barely any dialogue, which was improvised by the actors during rehearsals with the directors. Some of the dialogue presents itself like the improv one would find during an acting class; some of it is more naturalistic.
Sadly, Collins is completely uninteresting to watch and even Gordon-Levitt is not his incredibly engaging self. Collins is simply not a strong actress and she looks far too much like Evangeline Lily, which becomes an unwelcome distraction. Gordon-Levitt does as much as he can with the concept of the script. The entire film was shot on location, allowing for naturalism. The camera work is mostly hand-held, adding to the immediacy of the film, which was especially necessary for the ‘Yellow’ segment. The film is rather beautiful to look at on an aesthetic level as it was shot in HD on an Arriflex D-20 camera.
Once the action lightens up (in the second act no less) interest wanes significantly. It’s as if the storyline and the actors run out of gas and more importantly, things to say and do even though there’s still 40 minutes remaining. The entire ‘thriller’ plot is completely forgone for the ‘major plot point’ of the parallel storyline. The film becomes static, boring and terribly uninteresting. Also, the parallel sex scenes? So self-indulgent and not necessary to the plot, despite the Joseph Gordon-Levitt aspect.
When the action finally regains momentum in the last 17 or so minutes, it’s too little, too late. In the end, the film ultimately means to convey the notion of making different choices, going in different directions, yet inherently arriving at the same conclusion. The film certainly intended on being more profound than it was. Instead, it’s a mediocre project starring one of this generation’s most talented actors, whose abilities are shamefully wasted here.
This tumblr page, and this poster by the IFC center are both far more interesting than the film itself:
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