PRESENTS
SEATTLE ROAD
Sometimes a film divides an audience right down the middle. Something so unique and deep that it either inspires a deluge of praise or a tirade of… well, let’s say “unkind words.” Writer/Producer/Director Ryan David‘s “relationship meets art” love story, Seattle Road has a great tagline:
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Now that’s a film I can get behind. It sounds intriguing, with loads of potential. Unfortunately, for me, the tagline was far more clever than the film itself. If you’re going to tout a film with the word paradox, frankly I’m going to expect something wildly fantastic. What I got was some sort of millennial truth-telling, ridiculousness. Seattle Road bears resemblance to a student film with dialogue that is some of the most pretentious and eye roll inducing I’ve heard in a while. The heightened audio smacks just as false, combined with the disjointed time jumps. The film comes off as trying too hard rather than genuine. Julia Voth‘s portrayal of Eve is fickle and unlikable at every angle. I felt not a single ounce of empathy for the fact that her estranged father had passed away, or cared that she was shacking up with a guy she hardly knows in a house that doesn’t actually belong to her, all while crying “woe is me” and bitching about her self-importance. The ending literally caused me to say, “Are you kidding me?” at the screen.
The only saving graces for Seattle Road lies in three things: Moments in editing, the music, and our leading man, Maximillian Roeg. Even with the editing being a point a contention for me, there are moments in the film that might as well be mini music videos from the late 80’s to the early 90’s. These are, without a doubt, the most visually interesting, only enhanced by the Music Supervision of Tracy McKnight. Great soundtrack. Finally, our Adam. Roeg is a strong presence in his timidity. As a commune raised artist trying to navigate a seemingly doomed relationship with his own personal demons, he has a quiet strength and I am very much looking forward to seeing him in future projects. If nothing else comes from Seattle Road, please let it be a platform for Maximillian Roeg to shine.
I do appreciate what Seattle Road was trying to do. It’s not a boring film by any means. It went out on a limb and tried something different. For me, the limb was awkward and weak. If you’re intrigued or feel the need to be contrarian, I invite you to watch Seattle Road this week and let me know what you think. For all I know, you may love it.
Available on Demand on all VOD platforms starting – June 24, 2016
| Written & Directed by: | Ryan David |
| Produced by: | David Zonshine, Cynthia Graner, Ryan David |
| Cinematography by: | Sandra Valde-Hansen |
| Edited by: | Matthew Johnston |
| Music by:
Cast: |
Dhani Harrison and Paul Hicks
Julia Voth (Supernatural, Bitch Slap), Maximillian Roeg (Dream Boy, Maneater), Kelly Lynch (Charlie’s Angels, Road House, Drugstore Cowboy), Daniel Abeles, Alan Nozick |
| Distributed by: | Gravitas Ventures |
| Release Date: | June 24, 2016 |
| Running Time: | 82 Minutes / NR |
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The cinematography from Austria’s preeminent DP Martin Gschlacht (Goodnight Mommy, Oscar-nominated Revanch
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