Fierce People (2007)

From Bad to 'Fierce'

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Fierce People on DVD

Fifteen year-old Finn (Anton Yelchin) spends the summer with his newly sober mom (Diane Lane), a masseuse, on the estate of a wealthy crackpot (Donald Sutherland). Adapted from Dirk Wittenborn's book, Griffin Dunne's movie starts as a perfectly acceptable black comedy. The laughs suddenly cease after a brutal rape sequence, and Dunne desperately and vainly tries to re-work the remainder of the movie as a metaphysical coming-of-age story, with comparisons to tribal customs, as well as a misguided, paper-thin whodunit. Accompanied by a sober piano-and-violin score, Dunne's touch is far too timid to do the material any real justice, and the result is a terrible betrayal. No wonder this spent two years on the shelf. Chris Evans and Kristen Stewart co-star.

Starring: Anton Yelchin, Diane Lane, Donald Sutherland, Chris Evans, Kristen Stewart, Paz de la Huerta, Blu Mankuma, Elizabeth Perkins, Christopher Shyer, Gary Chalk, Ryan McDonald, Dexter Bell, Kaleigh Dey, Aaron Brooks, Jeff Westmoreland
Written by: Dirk Wittenborn, based on his book
Directed by: Griffin Dunne
MPAA Rating: R for language, drug use, sexuality/nudity and some violence
Running Time: 107 minutes
Date: September 21, 2007