Friday, September 21, 2012

The Ballad of Jack and Rose

Rebecca Miller's The Ballad of Jack and Rose is different from the many eclectic titles of 2005. Rather than being a film boasting of its importance, it's a much more quieter title.

The film stars Miller's husband Daniel Day-Lewis as Jack Slavin, which is one of his more underrated performances. It's hard to say why that is. Maybe it's because it's a different role from some of his more famous performances. (My theory is because this was made between Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood.)

However, the star of The Ballad of Jack and Rose is Camilla Belle. (She plays Rose.) The way she views the world she inhabits is mystifying. So does the way she interacts with the people around her. I hope to see more of her.

It may sound odd, but this particular film reminded me of Beasts of the Southern Wild. Both films revolve around a father, his daughter and the small world they've created for themselves. In fact, that would make for an interesting double feature.

The Ballad of Jack and Rose is actually a quite fascinating little film. Day-Lewis, as per usual, is great. The supporting cast is also very good. But this show belongs to Day-Lewis and Belle. Oh, and be sure to check this out.

My Rating: *****

2 comments:

  1. Ahh I've loved this film for so long but I've never encountered anyone who has seen it, let alone loved it too! It is one of Day-Lewis' most underrated performances, yes. In fact it's rarely even mentioned in lists and such. But it's one of my favorites, I find it incredibly moving and honest.

    The dynamic between him and Camilla Belle is fantastic, I too wish we can see more of her soon (so far only 10,000 BC and the The Chumscrubber).

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  2. I love this movie as well. I remember being so excited when I heard Day-Lewis and Dano would be working togther again in There Will Be Blood. You're right about this and Beasts of the Southern Wild. It would make a fine double feature.

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