Elizabethtown

By : Suzanne Philips

ELIZABETHTOWN: Pre-release screening Opens wide Oct. 14th.

Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom)  is having a really bad day.  After getting fired 
from his job and losing his girlfriend, he finds out that his father has 
passed away while visiting relatives in Kentucky. Drew is picked  to escort 
his Father's body home and runs into Claire (Kirsten Dunst) a flight 
attendant that ends up impacting his life.

Elizabethtown is directed by Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous).  He  does a 
very good job of depicting life in a small southern town.  The film actually

made me a bit homesick for my relatives.  There is quite a bit of comedy

in the film and the timing is well done.  The inclusion of  supporting roles

adds some nice comedic touches.  

Susan Sarandon plays Drew's mother and is really funny as a woman trying to 
find herself after the death of her husband.  

Alec Baldwin has a nice but brief turn as Drew's boss and is really enjoyable 
to watch.

Kirsten Dunst is charming and engaging as Claire.  She is funny, bubbly 
and fun to watch.

Orlando Bloom is good as Baylor.  While his American accent does certainly 
need a bit of work and slips sometimes, it isn't that noticeable after you become

involved in the film.  His comedic pieces are really great. In this part Bloom shows

that he has grown as a man and an actor.

Bloom and Dunst have really nice chemistry and they are enjoyable to watch 
connect on that level.  

While not the best film I have seen recently, Elizabethtown is a fun, funny 
and sometimes poignant ride.  

My review 3 1/2 rings out of 5.