For reasons that make little sense, the three decide to hit the road together in Gordy's old convertible. It's just beat up enough that you don't bat an eye when it breaks down or leaks oil and they have to stop for a day or two, providing plenty of time for penetrating conversations about past mistakes. They make their way through the dusty dirt roads of post Katrina Louisiana, to nowhere in particular at first, just an escape from wherever they've been. Brett has been haunted by the memory of his ex-wife, May(Maria Bello). They fell in love reluctantly, then lived passionately before he was thrown in prison for six years. Now that he's out, his thoughts have turned to whether or not she's waited for him, if she still loves him. All three have secrets that spill out over the course of their quest, some more devastating than others.
Small films like this tend to be the ones that makes the biggest impression on me. The Yellow Handkerchief doesn't look to create waves. There are no huge outbursts(ok, maybe one) of overdone emotion. Brett quietly pines for May, us seeing her completely in flashback, through the highs and extreme lows of their relationship. William Hurt excels in these types of roles. He always appears as if the weight of the world has been sitting on his shoulders for far too long. I could've done with a slightly more relaxed performance by Eddie Redmayne, who's just a bit too spastic for me.
The stand out is Kristen Stewart. I know I give her a hard time because of how lousy she is in Twilight, but that's because she's proven to be a very good actress everywhere else. Nobody's expecting much from her in Twilight, and that's exactly what she delivers: not much. She's mature beyond her years in movies like Adventureland, or even in a supporting role in Into the Wild. Here she exudes much the same sexual energy that was captivating in that wonderful film. Even though I found the blossoming relationship between Martine and Gordy a little underdeveloped, she continues to impress me with her movie choices.
The story does start to lose it's way a little bit as the end of their trip approaches and everyone needs to have the appropriate revelations about their life just in time for the conclusion. The script gets heavy handed and overly dramatic, especially the diabetes inducing final scene. However it doesn't take away from the fullness of the peformances by Hurt and Stewart.
