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Josh Brolin's "X"
I dropped by Santa Barbara's Marjorie Luke theatre yesterday afternoon to see four short films, but mainly to take a look at Josh Brolin's X, which he directed, wrote and self-produced. A 15-minute piece about a heavily-tattooed criminal dad (Vincent Riverside) and his hard-bitten, Bonnie Parker-like daughter (Eden Brolin) sharing a violent fate in the desert, X is a first-rate effort -- well-shot, nicely paced, engagingly acted. 3 days of shooting, 96 set-ups. It convinces you that Brolin will probably be directing a feature within two or three years.
(l. to r.) X costars Vincent Riverside, Eden Brolin, director-producer-writer Josh Brolin; two guys who directed an alluring short called Elevator People, and a director of another short film -- ready to insert name and title with assistance.
That said, X's like-father, like-daughter theme is depressing. Riverside's character is a low-rent loser who has not only ruined his own life but, it seems, his daughter's. The short has a certain scuzzy integrity, yes, but I wouldn't want to see X expanded into a feature. It's too bleak, the characters too doomed. It left me with nothing except a belief that Brolin can handle himself behind a camera. He's a funny guy. Something tells me he'd be good with a sardonic comedy of some sort.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 30, 2008 at 11:39 AM
comment #1
actionman
says ...
his performance in Flirting with Disaster was hysterical
Posted by actionman
at January 30, 2008 11:58 AM
comment #2
AH
says ...
He really is on a roll these days.
Posted by AH
at January 30, 2008 1:12 PM
comment #3
alynch
says ...
I'm surprised that Jeff hasn't written anything about that Bush movie he's doing with Oliver Stone. That seems like the type of thing that would be in Jeff's wheelhouse.
Posted by alynch
at January 30, 2008 3:19 PM
comment #4
Monument
says ...
Just you wait alynch, just you wait.
Posted by Monument
at January 30, 2008 3:24 PM
comment #5
bmcintire
says ...
Just going by noggin size, Brolin is all wrong to be playing Bush2. George is a classic example of a pinhead, while Josh's skull ranks up there with a Macy's parade float.
Posted by bmcintire
at January 30, 2008 5:56 PM
comment #6
JosephB
says ...
Is it just me or is Brolin getting cooler and cooler by the week nowadays? Or maybe I have one of those George Costanza-like man crushes on Tony (if you know the episode, bonus points).
Posted by JosephB
at January 30, 2008 8:55 PM
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