Meadowland: DVD Review
The Movie:
Sarah (Olivia Wilde) and Philip (Luke Wilson) deal with the unthinkable in the wake of their son’s strange disappearance. Philip, a New York City policeman, attempts a more traditional form of healing, only to lose his moral compass. Sarah goes down an unexpected path towards acceptance as she places herself in increasingly dangerous situations.
This is a film that will affect you on many levels if you’re a parent. Within the first 15 minutes I began to feel sick and my heart sank to my stomach when seeing Sarah and Philip’s son go missing during a simple gas station stop. It truly is one of the fears of any parent and seeing Wilde and Wilson (Wilde especially) scrambling throughout the store in a panic fueled my discomfort even more. The remainder of the film lets it be known that this is more about the emotional journey of two parents after suffering such a loss. The want and need to search for their son is still there throughout the movie but the narrative looks at how they’ve changed since the ordeal. Wilson’s character goes from being an honest cop to one that is balancing on the edge of his morals. You see him try to help himself but ends up being overcome by feelings of revenge, even if it’s not directed at the person responsible for his pain. Wilde showcases her acting talents immensely as her character goes through the biggest emotional transformation. You see her break down more and more during the course of the film to the point where it becomes dangerous. I can honestly say that this could be a real high point for Wilde and she has nowhere else to go but up from here. The finale of the film keeps you on the edge of your seat, not because it being intense or action packed but you just wonder how far Sarah is going to go. Although there isn’t a full resolution to the story, it does give you a chance to make your own assumption. This film definitely sends you on an emotional roller coaster but is worth watching given the strong performances from the stars. 9/10
Special Features:
Behind The Scenes – A usual type of BTS feature with film clips and interviews with the cast and crew.
