Sometimes the sheer force of an actor’s
personality or ability can compel an audience to sit through a film they
might otherwise walk out on. Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Clint Eastwood
and Meryl Streep — they got it. Paul Walker, Ryan Phillippe, Van
Heflin and Kim Basinger — dull as dishwater. Of course, Anthony
Hopkins belongs in the former group, and this is never more evident than in
his latest feature, The World’s Fastest
Indian. The film chronicles the efforts of Burt Munro
(Hopkins), a New Zealander who became obsessed with retrofitting a 1920
Indian motorcycle with the sole intention of setting a land-speed record
with it. Such efforts are usually undertaken with the help of corporate
sponsors and the support of a team, luxuries Munro does without, though he
does have one staunch supporter, a neighborhood kid by the name of Tom
(Aaron Murphy). When Munro does come into some money, his efforts go into
overdrive, and he’s eventually able to make the trip to Los Angeles
and then to Utah, where he enters the annual Speed Week events at the
Bonneville Salt Flats. Needless to say, Munro has more than a few roadblocks
to negotiate along the way — so many, in fact, that director Roger
Donaldson flirts with tedium on more than one occasion. And yet Hopkins
keeps us engaged throughout with his unassuming, charming characterization.
By the time Munro finally straddles his beloved
machine and sets out to prove that he’s capable of attaining what
appears to be an elusive goal, we’re right there with him, hitting
the gas and popping the clutch. Thanks to Donaldson, these scenes push us
to the edge of our seats; credit Hopkins with engaging our hearts and minds
in this character’s noble quest. Also in theater this week. . .
Curious George [PG] That
mischievous little monkey instigates havoc wherever he goes, but the man
with the yellow hat tries to keep his lovable pet from making a huge mess. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Doogal [G] A motley crew of friends set
out on a dangerous adventure to save the world from a deep freeze imposed
by the evil wizard Zeebad. Parkway Pointe,
ShowPlace East
Eight Below [PG] A pack of dogs struggles to
survive a harsh Alaskan winter after their three human companions desert
the scientific expedition due to the severe weather conditions. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Madea’s Family Reunion [PG-13] Another Tyler Perry adaptation from his stage productions
featuring that freewheelin’ granny, Madea. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Running Scared [R] A
mid-level mobster must retrieve a gun used in a murder while his
family’s lives hang in the balance. ShowPlace
West
Turtles Can Fly [Not
Rated] The wrenching tale of a Kurdish refugee
camp on the night before the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Kurdish with English subtitles White Oaks
This article appears in Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2006.
