Stolen Summer Review
Viewers in search of rookie gaffes will be disappointed by Stolen Summer, the even-keeled outcome of Miramax's experiment in cinematic wish granting, which formed the basis of the HBO reality show Project_Greenlight. Unfortunately, most others will be disappointed by it, too. Neophyte director Pete_Jones can finally take the chip off his shoulder; his contest-winning script and hours of high-profile humiliation have actually culminated in a watchable film. But Jones' tidy efficiency is both a strength and a drawback. On the one hand, it proves him able, but on the other, it gives the world a pretty dull and diluted tale of religious soul-searching in the suburbs. Though it's impossible to judge their performances in a vacuum, understanding that they fell somewhere between volunteers and guinea pigs, the guest actors (Aidan_Quinn, Kevin_Pollack, Bonnie_Hunt) seem imperceptibly bored and embarrassed by their involvement. The subject matter itself is hardly vanilla; in fact, the idea of a young Catholic on a mission to convert Jews might be downright inflammatory. But in the carefully modulated hands of producers Matt_Damon and Ben_Affleck, Jones' story is decidedly toothless. Instead of brazenly challenging norms, they settle for a slice-of-life indie feature with the humdrum rhythms of an after-school special. One almost wishes Stolen Summer had ended up outrageously flawed -- then at least it might have found life as a cult curiosity, instead of an irrelevant and largely unseen footnote. Derek Armstrong, Rovi
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