‘Plain’ film features lackluster acting, story

Monday, January 18, 2010 - 12:45 AM

Charlize Theron stars in “The Burning Plain,” a film centered around two tormented women. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Guillermo Arriaga, who was a writer for such brilliant films as “Babel” and “21 Grams,” makes his directing debut with “The Burning Plain,” a film that follows two different characters with seemingly separate, non-linear story lines that mysteriously intertwine in some way. Unfortunately, instead of repeating the success he found as a screenwriter, Arriaga misses the mark with this doozey of a film.

“The Burning Plain” centers around two tormented women, one of which is Sylvia (Charlize Theron), a young, depressed woman who lives in Oregon and works in a chic restaurant. She is plagued by suicidal thoughts and suddenly finds herself being followed by a mysterious Mexican man. Then, there is Gina (Kim Basinger), a wife and mother of four who lives in New Mexico and is having an affair with Nick (Joaquim de Almeida), who is also married.

As usual, Theron did an amazing job acting in the film. Her portrayal of a cold, bitter, seemingly heartless and numb woman who tries to make herself feel anything by having sex with random strangers and committing acts of self-mutilation is truly believable and heartbreaking. By now, Theron has mastered the dead-behind-the-glazed-over eyes and haunted soul look on her face that made her performance so heart wrenching and riveting, but even her on-point thespian skills could not save this train wreck of a film.

Unlike Theron, the rest of the cast’s acting was not as moving or believable. Basinger’s portrayal of a woman torn between her husband and her lover seems too forced and full of melodramatic histrionics. Like Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Gina’s daughter Marianna, lacks the acting chops needed to play such a character. Instead of coming off as someone who is emotionally hurt, Lawrence comes off very unemotional.

Aside from the questionable acting, the biggest aspect of “The Burning Plain” that really prevented it from being the enticing and thrilling film it could have been was the non-linear storytelling. While interweaving plot lines were done brilliantly in “21 Grams” and “Babel,” Arriaga just didn’t execute the non-sequential story telling technique well in “The Burning Plain.” Rather than adding texture and mystery to the film, the unchronological storylines that continuously jumped back and forth between decades were annoying and prevented any possible feeling of connection or sympathy for the characters. The audience is never able to fully understand or delve into a character’s story because as soon as a breakthrough is made, the plot jumps back to another character.

The connection the six characters share was not the enigmatic puzzle that Arriaga intended, and their relations to one another became obvious 30 minutes into the film. This made the two hour film feel like putting together a puzzle that you have pieced together a thousand times — boring and predictable.

Cinematically speaking, the film was shot beautifully and is filled with panning shots of the vast and empty New Mexico desert and dark, moody shots of the constantly overcast and foggy Oregon skies. These shots are not just visually stunning, but they also act as environmental representations of the raw emotions the characters are experiencing. For example, Gina feels empty and alone in her marriage, therefore turns to a love affair with Nick in the desolate desert, while Sylvia, a lonely woman who is constantly tormented by her past, dwells in a gloomy town in Oregon. Symbolism like this is heavily used in the film and would require multiple re-watchings to truly grasp and embrace all the clever references and signs, but honestly, who would want to watch this yawn fest again?

If you are in the mood to watch a dramatic film about love, inner demons and tormenting pasts, but do not want to sit through two boring hours, I suggest you watch a sappy Lifetime film instead. Honestly, you would be better off and probably more entertained.

Enjolie Esteve can be reached at arts-entertainment@nevadasagebrush.com.