Committed (2000)

Some people drift through life, moving from one thing or one person to the next without batting an eye; others latch on to a cause, another person or a principle and remain adamant, committed to whatever it is-and figuratively or literally they give their word and stand by it. But we�re all different, �Made of different clay,� as one of the characters in this film puts it, which is what makes life so interesting. Some people are just plain crazy, though-and maybe that�s the way you have to be to live among the masses. Who knows? Who knows what it takes to make things-life-work? Writer/director Lisa Krueger takes a shot at it, using a light approach to examine that thin line between being committed-and how one �gets� committed-and obsession, in �Committed,� starring Heather Graham as a young woman who is adamant, committed, obsessive and maybe just a little bit crazy, too. Her name is Joline, and this is her story.

Admittedly, Joline has always been a committed person; in work, relationships, in life in general. She�s a woman of her word who sticks by it no matter what. And when she marries Carl (Luke Wilson), it�s forever. The only problem is, someone forgot to tell Carl-and 597 days into the marriage, he�s gone; off to �find� himself and figure it all out. When Joline realizes he�s not coming back, she refuses to give up on him, or their marriage. Maybe it�s because of that �clay� she�s made of. Regardless, she leaves their home in New York City and sets off to find him, which she does-in El Paso, Texas, of all places. But once she knows where he is, she keeps her distance, giving him his �space� and not even letting him know she�s there. She considers Carl as being in a �spiritual coma,� and it�s her job to keep a �spiritual vigil� over him until he comes to his senses. And while she watches and waits, her life is anything but dull, as she encounters a young woman named Carmen (Patricia Velazquez), a waitress at one of the local eateries; Carmen�s �Grampy,� (Alfonso Arau), who is something of a mystic; T-Bo (Mark Ruffalo), a truck driver who has issues concerning Carl; and Neil (Goran Visnjic) an artist who makes pinatas and takes a fancy to her. For Joline, it�s a journey of discovery, during which she learns a lot about Carl, but even more about herself.

There�s a touch of humor, a touch of romance, and some insights into human nature in this quirky film that is more about characterization and character than plot. And Krueger presents it all extremely well, delivering a film that is engaging and entertaining. Her characters are very real people, with all the wants, needs and imperfections that make up the human condition; a rich and eclectic bunch through which she tells her story. We see it from Joline�s point-of-view, as Krueger makes us privy to Joline�s thoughts and therefore her motivations, which puts a decided perspective on the events as they unfold. That, along with the deliberate pace she sets that allows you to soak up the atmosphere and the ambiance she creates, makes for a very effective piece of storytelling. There�s an underlying seriousness to this subject matter, but Krueger chooses to avoid anything heavy-handed or too deep and concentrates instead on the natural humor that evolves from the people and situations that Joline encounters. And the result is a well textured, affecting and upbeat look at that thing we call life.

Heather Graham takes hold of this role from the first frame of the film to make Joline a character totally of her own creation. She immerses herself in the part and gives a performance that is convincing and believable, adding the little personal traits and nuance that makes all the difference between a portrayal that is a mere representation of a person, and one that is real. And for this film to work, it was imperative that Joline be viable and believable-and Graham succeeds on all fronts. Her screen presence has never been more alluring, and her vibrant personality or even just the way she uses her eyes, is enough to draw you in entirely. it�s all a part of the character she creates; there�s an appeal to Joline that exudes from her entire countenance, who she is inside and out. She�s a likable, agreeable person, and because you�ve shared her innermost thoughts, you know who she is. It�s a good job all the way around, beginning with the way the character was written, to the way Graham brings her so vibrantly to life.

As Carmen, Patricia Velazquez is totally engaging, as well. Her performance is very natural and straightforward, and she uses her instincts to effectively create her character. She has a charismatic presence, but is less than flamboyant, and it gives her an aspect that is attractively down-to-earth. She is refreshingly open and up-front; you get the impression that Carmen is not one to hold anything back, but is totally honest on all fronts, and that, too, is part of her appeal. And, as with Joline, this character is well written, and Velazquez brings her convincingly to life.

Overall, there is a number of notable performances that are the heart and soul of this film, including those of Luke Wilson, Casey Affleck (as Joline�s brother, Jay), Goran Visnjic, Alfonso Arau and especially Mark Ruffalo as T-Bo, who, with very little actual screen time, manages to create a memorable character.

The supporting cast includes Kim Dickens (Jenny), Clea Du Vall (Mimi), Summer Phoenix (Meg), Art Alexakis (New York Car Thief), Dylan Baker (Carl�s Editor), and Mary Kay Place (Psychiatrist). A film that says something about the value of stepping back to consider The Big Picture-reflecting upon who we are, where we�re going and what we really need-�Committed� is an enjoyable experience; a ride definitely worth taking.

It takes a certain type of person to enjoy this movie for what and who it tries to appreciate. For the extremely introspective, honor-obsessed, and non-conventional folk out there, this IS the comedy to watch. I was left falling in love with the main character sometimes reminding me of myself, or mostly of people I know and was also left with one dominate, repetitive thought: I'm not alone.

People usually associate the comedy genre with lightness, and fluffy, not-too-deep mania. (I'm guilty of it myself) It just catches you off-gaurd how deep this movie really is, and how much it reveals about the human mind and emotions. The "let down" the other reviewers speak of, is going in to see this movie, looking for the wrong things. Perhaps we've ALL forgotten that deep thoughts can be funny.

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Lisa Krueger's second feature has Heather Graham as Joline, New York club owner who is married to a struggling phographer Carl (Luke Wilson). But this film is not your usual work of romantic comedy, because it has plenty of eccentric characters. Joline is just one of them, and the strongest one, for she is a committed person to the bone. Very committed to her action and words, she lets a "band" play on the stage even if all the member except for the bass player quit the band and left for Japan.

But her belief is to be tested when her newly-wed husband left her without obvious reasons, afterwards sending only a postcard with a blurred postmark. But she has to believe what she has believed, so she decides to hit the road, goes to El Paso, and tries to find something she has been missing in her life.

The story is interesting, but you soon find that the film has little to offer except the heroine's engaging personality. However, the whole film is somehow sustained by Heather Graham's presense, which almost compensates for its meandering plot. Of course, this means that if you don't like her character, or just don't get it, you lose interest in the film, but for Heather Graham's fans, it is not a bad thing to watch this one for once.

Another merit of the film is the unique cast of the film, which includes Casey Affleck, Golan Visnjic, and Alfonso Arau as male players, but more amusing are females, the cameos of Clea Duvall, Summer Phoenix, Patricia Velasquez (one of the best players in the sequel of "The Mummy"), and Mary Kay Place, who was in the director's previous film "Manny & Lo." Whether or not they are used in the most suiable way remains a point to be dabated, but it certainly is good to see them showing up on the screen. And the photography of the film captures the beauty and climate of El Paso very well.

"Committed" is not a good film, but still has original concept and lovely Heather Graham, last of which would anyway justify my defending the film. For her fans, or those who are looking for something totally different.

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This movie hit me at just the right time. Normally I would have turned it off as the pace was a little too leisurely but the little spiritual messages it was giving me were so perfectly spot-on that I had to watch it all. The main character reminded me of myself going through a hard time, and how a spiritual experience can look like a psychotic episode from the outside. The acting was good, the characters understandable and the road trip was a lot of fun.

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I was lucky enough to catch this film on cable, and not just because I was supposed to be doing housework at the time. After seeing Jurassic Park III, Planet of the Apes (2001), and America's Sweethearts, I had come to believe there were no story tellers left in the film industry.

This film is all about story and nothing about special effects. Heather Graham is wonderful as Joline (spelling?) and pulls of the humor--which is of an ironic rather than slapstick variety--with charm and charisma.

The story is unpredictable and filled with unexpected and appreciated turns. This is a film with nuance, one that requires viewers to pay attention, and if you do, you are in for a real treat--a movie with a quality story that holds up from beginning to end.

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