Limited Releases: Clear as Mud
April 26, 2013
There are not a huge number of limited releases opening this weekend, but there are a few that might thrive in limited release. This includes Mud, the widest limited release of the week, and also the best-reviewed. Add in a great cast, and the film might not collapse under the weight of its theater count.
At Any Price - Reviews
Kon Tiki - Reviews
Midnight's Children - Reviews
Mud - Reviews
The Numbers Station - Reviews
An Oversimplification of Her Beauty - Reviews
The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Reviews
Written and directed by Ramin Bahrani, who hasn't made a lot of movies, but all of them have earned overwhelmingly positive reviews. At least they did till now. The reviews are not bad, but they are just a hair over the overall positive level, which likely isn't enough for the film to thrive in limited release. At Any Price opened on Wednesday in four theaters.
This film is based on the true story of Thor Heyerdahl, who believed pre-Columbian South Americans colonized Polynesia and set out on a balsa wood raft to prove it. This story has been made into an Oscar-winning documentary and a best-selling book. I'm not sure the film will thrive in limited release, but its reviews, and its Oscar nomination, suggest it might find a receptive audience. Kon Tiki opens tonight in two theaters.
I talked about this film previously back when it came out in Canada and there's not much more that needs to be said. The reviews have improved, but not by enough to suggest it will thrive. Midnight's Children opens tonight in two theaters, both in New York City.
This is the widest release of the week. It is also the best-reviewed new release of the week. That doesn't happen very often. The film is a coming of age story about two boys, who run into a man living on an island in the Mississippi river. That man, Mud, is a fugitive from the law trying to meet up with his girlfriend, Juniper, so they can run away together. The two boys decide to help them out, which gets them into a whole lot of trouble. Mud opens tonight in 363 theaters, which is a huge amount for a limited release, but I think given its reviews and its cast that it will thrive.
I really wanted this film to be really good for two reasons. Firstly, it has John Cusack as its star, and I really like that actor. Secondly, it has The Numbers in the name. Unfortunately, the film's reviews are the worst on this week's list and there's little hope it will thrive in limited release.
An experimental film that is a psuedo-documentary in nature and deals with the unrequited love between the director and his best friend / muse. The films reviews are excellent, but it is too art house to thrive in mainstream theaters. An Oversimplification of Her Beauty opens tonight in two theaters, both in New York City.
A story told in flashback about a Wall Street trader caught up in the aftermath of 9/11 and is wrongfully arrested. The film is directed by Mira Nair, who has made some great movies, but if the critics are to be trusted, this one is not among them. The Reluctant Fundamentalist opens tonight in three theaters, split between New York City and Los Angeles, while it debuts on Video on Demand on Tuesday.
Filed under: Limited Releases, The Numbers Station, Midnight's Children, Mud, At Any Price, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, Kon-Tiki, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey, Mira Nair, Reese Witherspoon, Ramin Bahrani