The Ballad of Jack and Rose: A Mediocre Experience Kevin Biggers

Those watching The Ballad of Jack and Rose in search of Bill the Butcher with a Personal Velocity twist will be sorely disappointed. In Director Rebecca Miller’s third feature film, Daniel Day-Lewis is anything but Bill the Butcher and the film itself is vastly different from the film Personal Velocity, which earned Miller the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2002. At times the film flirts with greatness, primarily because of so many dead-on and deep performances, but in the end there is nothing extraordinary or lasting to laud it by.

The year is 1986 and only Jack Slavin (Day-Lewis) and his 16-year-old daughter Rose (Camilla Belle) remain on a commune that once was a haven for the free-thinking baby boomers of the '70s. Despite the roaring sense of isolation, Rose could not be happier inhabiting her better years side by side with only her father -- primarily because Jack has successfully shielded Rose from the exterior world’s harsh reality of sex, lies and capitalism.

All peace, happiness and comfort take a terse turn for the worse when Jack comes to terms with his imminent death. This sets off Jack’s invitation to his girlfriend, Kathleen (Catherine Keener), and her two sons, Rodney (Ryan McDonald) and Thadius (Paul Dano), to come and live in Jack and Rose’s home on the commune. However, the addition of three to a relationship already at max capacity proves to be explosive and subsequently dangerous for everyone involved.

One of the film’s major flaws is how it treats these explosions. The three should-be explosive scenes -- Rose’s attempt to shoot Kathleen, Rose’s attack on Thadius and Jack’s funeral -- prove to be less effective because of their dulled results, which leave everyone fairly unscathed. By pre-wrapping these plot turns in bubble wrap, the film becomes conservative in both arguments against society and against idealism. Consequently, questions that should have been answered remain unanswered.

Even the film’s strengths have flaws. The score, featuring a slew of Bob Dylan songs, is enjoyable to listen to, but often detracts from the surrealistic atmosphere.

Nevertheless, the film thrives, unadulterated, in certain areas. One would be in its character development. With the film running at just under two hours, there is plenty of time to explore the wondrous depths of Jack and Rose’s relationship. In the story’s scope, Jack starts out as a father to Rose, becomes a companion and by the end, is his daughter’s lover. The relationship is weaved with incestuous moments, however Miller spares us any moments that would be squeamishly unpleasant.

The long running time also benefits the other characters in terms of development. Kathleen and her sons each have a period of time to show the effects of their intrusion on Jack and Rose’s lives. Even the smaller parts, like Rodney’s sublimely jovial friend Red Berry (Jena Malone), the overanxious but wise housing developer Marty Rance (Beau Bridges) and local awe-shucks nice guy Gray (Jason Lee), are given time to express themselves and explore their meanings to the story.

The standout performance comes from Camilla Belle, who plays Rose with such graceful naivety and brutal innocence. For two hours, it’s hard to imagine that Rose is merely a character when she feels so full of life and vivid detail. Daniel Day-Lewis plays mentally vulnerable and physically weak Jack with stone-cold ardor. He eats, sleeps and breathes Jack throughout the entire film, never stopping and never waning. His performance is sharp and brutally honest. However, perhaps multiple viewings will be needed for the viewers to cope with Jack’s boisterous vulnerability -- a character flaw not usually worn on the sleeve of most of Day-Lewis’ previous characters. Also, Jack is not at the forefront of the film. This is Rose’s film more than anything. Therefore, Jack is often reduced to being part of the scenery where his performance is relegated to background pantomimes and quips, and too-often forgettable actions.

There are many good things to say about The Ballad of Jack and Rose; however, none of these things mesh to form a cohesive film. There are many bad things to say, however, none amount to anything that would make the film unwatchable. What viewers get is a mediocre film with too little bright spots to make it anything more than a decent experience.

The Ballad of Jack and Rose is now playing at the ArcLight in Hollywood and Laemmle's Monica 4. It opens in Pasadena and Orange County Friday, April 1.

View the film's trailer at http://live.video.rainbow-media-online.com/video.jsp?video_id=122&template_id=41.