Dusty and barren; Young Ones takes on an Earth ravaged by drought.
Not the kind of drought that makes Californians take shorter showers, but the
kind that destroys all life. What few people remain have either scattered to
the big cities or scattered to the wind, but stubborn Earnest Holm refuses to
leave his plot of land, protecting what little he has with a trusty rifle to
ward off thieves. Earnest is a tough but generous man, with a capable son in
Jerome (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and rebellious daughter Mary (Elle Fanning), the
latter anxious to flee her boring life and shack up with bad boy Flem Lever
(Nicholas Hoult). The circumstances demand a certain "wild wild west"
attitude to problem solving. It's basically "do whatever it takes to
survive", and for Earnest, a former alcoholic, that means selling liquor
on the side and using what little water he can find to keep his family alive.
"Pray for rain", he says, holding out a firm belief that his dry,
cracked land is still fertile. All it needs is enough water.
Interestingly, Paltrow uses a three-pronged narrative, a triptych in the vein
of The Place Beyond the Pines, to guide us through this sandy wasteland
of broken dreams. The first chapter follows Earnest, and it's easily the best
with the indomitable presence of Michael Shannon demanding our attention. His
Earnest is a brilliant man, vulnerable and giving but capable of violence. It's
the rare opportunity to see Shannon play someone who isn't completely unhinged,
but is a figure to be looked up to and respected. One chapter "hands
off" to the next and the approach brings us deeper into lives of the three
main protagonists, all of whom happen to be the men. Mary, who is flighty and
somewhat naive, is basically just another prize to be won in a place that has
precious few things worth fighting for. The problem with Paltrow's approach is
that it's tough to maintain high quality throughout, and the tone is
inconsistent. Hoult's chapter, which focuses heavily on themes of guilt and
greed, loses something without Shannon acting as his foil. The final act,
centering largely on family legacy, is too broad for Paltrow's simply
constructed story to bear.
Drawing influences from The Road, the Westerns of John Ford, and a
little bit of Mad Max, Young Ones is a completely unique visual
experience. Shot in the scorching, sunbaked deserts of South Africa, the
cinematography by Giles Nuttgens may leave you feeling a little bit parched.
Special effects aren't really needed, as a result, and what must have been a
limited budget goes to the robotic "mule" that becomes a cold, steely
character in its own right. But most impressive is Paltrow's dedication to the
material, fully-developing this torrid world that is never dry for us to
behold.Young Ones is available now On Demand here.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
