Elizabethtown

Director: Cameron Crowe

Length: 123 min.
Released: 2005

It doesn't get much better than Cameron Crowe.  With his latest creation, Elizabethtown, everything's there: comedy, drama, a road trip, family values and feuds, satire, and music.  Unfortunately, the box office didn't reflect this total package, but when has that ever happened to Crowe?  The public, it appears, has yet to appreciate his prowess.  His love of music means there's a perfect song for every moment of the film.  Luckily for us (few) fans, he decided to produce a truly memorable two volume soundtrack, despite the film's lackluster success.  Tom Petty has a prominent place, as he always does in Crowe films, as well as Crowe's wife, Nancy Wilson, who provides several of the themes.
  

 Soundtrack, Vol. 1 

Soundtrack, Vol. II                                                                     

Orlando Bloom does an excellent job with an American accent, and Kirsten Dunst is adorable in her role.  Both characters could be shallow, but Crowe gives them depth and lets the actors breathe life into them.  It's nice to dig beneath the surface and learn about these characters who would be lost on the outskirts in real life or in another movie.  Strong supporting actors inhabit Crowe's Elizabethtown (including Susan Sarandon),  and they each provide humor, drama and wit.  There's true character development; even the minor ones stay with you.  By the end, you've laughed, cried, and grown with everyone in the film.  You almost forget you're being told a story:  you're just part of the crowd, someone else at the party. 

Elizabethtown is another Cameron Crowe masterpiece that perfectly captures small-town America and the difficulties of family.  A must-see for anyone.