A Better Place (1997)

"Do You Accept Responsibility For All Your Actions?"

Well, you know you're in for a low-budget movie experience when one of the opening credits reads "Camera: Ian Dudley" (as it does in this movie). And that's not meant to be a knock against Ian Dudley: it's just that it says "camera". Singular. As in one.

Fortunately, in my world, low budget does not equal low quality. In fact, I often find it to be just the opposite: the constraints and restrictions forced upon filmmakers by a lack of financing can lead to more creative ways of approaching things which might not have occurred otherwise. And though I think that occasionally happened with the movie "A Better Place," this $40,000 flick ultimately falls just a little bit short of greatness (though more because of its writing than its lack of budget).

The movie begins with a voiceover spoken by the charmingly earnest high school senior Barret (Robert DiPatri, who resembles a younger, much more sincere Ed Helms), after he and his mom relocate following the death of his father: "We came here to start over - a new life in a better place. We should've stayed behind."

So right away, you know things aren't going to go particularly well. And boy don't they! After a particularly miserable (and shakily filmed) first day at his new school (at times giving new meaning to the phrase "lack of focus in the classroom"), Barret befriends local outcast Ryan (Eion Bailey), who is considerably less charming than Barret. Ryan is, in fact, so aggressively misanthropic that he favors nothing less than the catastrophic extinction of the species. Not so charming at all! And it isn't long before you realize why Barret might just have been better off had he, in fact, stayed behind.

The phrase "a better place" actually appears in two key scenes in the movie: at the beginning (as quoted above) and in a pivotal (and ironic) scene in Ryan's bedroom, where he and Barret discuss the finer points of Sartre: "The way Sartre see it, if people would just accept responsibility for their actions...the world just might be a better place," says Ryan. But when Barret asks, "So, do you accept responsibility for all your actions?" Ryan just kind of laughs and says, "Yeah - most of the time."

Not too much later, when we see how Ryan handles an unfortunate occurrence in the woods ("we can make this look like an accident"), we realize that Ryan is like many teens who can absorb ideas conceptually but can't yet put them into practice experientially. This turns out to have some major repercussions down the road.

This film is rich with ideas and a serious, oftentimes foreboding tone - it gets a little River's Edgy at times. Its talkiness, I feel, owes more to films in the Richard Linklater canon like "Waking Life" than it does to Kevin Smith's usual View Askew/Clerks fare. It's got a hauntingly, hypnotically effective mostly-electronic soundtrack, and Ian Dudley usually does a good job with that one camera.

Where the movie falls a little short for me is that the generally-solid acting gets a bit amateurish at times, and the dialog a bit too writerly and not entirely natural-sounding in spots. Now, it's true that great acting can occasionally overcome stilted dialog, and that great dialog can often inspire actors to transcend their limitations. Here, however, the confluence of uncertain acting and writing sometimes makes some of the scenes ring a bit false. Plus, one aspect of the ending also seemed a bit forced, as I feel there might have been more plausible ways of getting the three characters to the same place at the end.

With all of that being said, however... this DVD is a gem. It's absolutely crammed with extras, most of them as interesting as the film itself. The three introductions with Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier are hilarious, there are 8 deleted scenes (both with and without commentary), a comparison of the film's original mono mix with the remixed sound done at Skywalker Ranch, and not one, but two feature commentaries with writer/director Vin Pereira and cast members Brain Lynch (Eddie), Joseph Cassese (Todd) and Rob DiPatri. The first commentary is a bit annoying, as we hear for ourselves why Pereira has the reputation for talking too much (A fun challenge: see if you can identify the very few moments when he lets one of the others say more than two sentences in a row!)

But the second, "ultra-secret" hidden Easter Egg bonus drunken commentary is a riot. It is here where you will learn that Brian Lynch is, indeed, the funniest man alive. Also, learn amazing things about topics such as (but not limited to): Toothless Joe's "shaved teeth" (the style at the time), Ben "I was in Armageddon" Affleck's future prophetic nickname, and Eion Bailey's gay filmmaking choices. Plus, did they really kill that horseshoe crab? All that, and guest cameos from "George Lazenby" and Silent Bob!

Thus, while I give the movie itself three stars, the feature-packed DVD is worthy of nothing less than five, making my overall rating four stars. Good stuff. March 25, 2007

When There's Nowhere Else Left To Run...

This movie could have easily been written off as just another "feel bad for teens" flick, though I believe since only a small portion of the film takes place within school property, a different focus is put on the main characters than the simple angst-ridden garden variety.

"A Better Place" treads new ground in its focus on the scales of justice and the human response to personal trauma. Sparing the plot (because it doesn't really matter AND it's been said over and over throughout many reviews here), the general idea of the film is that though two people can share similar experiences, they won't necessarily grow from them similarly. Interpretation and what one takes from life's unfortunate circumstances are as varied as the clothes people can wear. In the case of our "heroes," Barret and Ryan, they may have become friends via a similar stroke of bad luck, their outlook on life in its basic form couldn't be any more different. Thus begins the ultimate conflict of the film.

The main driving point that the movie makes is that when you experience hardship in any form, either you learn from it, pick yourself up and move on with life with a better understanding of how to handle stress...or you allow it to bubble inside yourself; eventually letting it bring you to the point of desperation. "A Better Place" is philosophical, psychological and very, very simple as well. ..simply put, "a better place" may not be a literal reference to a location on a map where one may run to when looking to escape the torments of home or one's history.

It may be locked away deep in the mind or the heart. A little serenity surely would have helped Barret and Ryan in the long run.
October 26, 2006

"The more people who die and the less that are born the better."

Good teenage violence movie, not as good as say BULLY but still highly watchable and especially impressive for a first time writer and director.

Barret is a nerd and on his first day in a new high school he's about to get his ass beat by a jock when Ryan steps in and smashes in the jock's face. Barret and Ryan start a troublesome friendship.

Ryan is a loner because his dad killed his mother and then himself - Ryan found the bodies - and nobody wants hang out with a killer's kid. Barret likes Ryan despite his antisocial ways, but he soon realizes that Ryan really is off his rocker. Bad things happen next.

Not as violent as the reviews would lead you to believe. No more than normal life. January 17, 2006

an intense peformance by Eion Bailey

Eion Bailey (Fight Club, Almost Famous, Glory Days and Significant Others) stars as a disturbed little teenager who when he was little boy witnessed his dad kill his mother and then himself. From that experience he grows up in disturbing way. He makes friends with a sort of a geek. Things start to get bas as Bailey and friend walk on private property in which Bailey kills this guy. After that it becomes a powerful intense drama ride. Bailey turns more and more to the dark side and channels his performance into gold. The end is a real nail biter. Full of violent and surreal feelings. It feels as if your right there beside them. March 2, 2005

"I'm going to make the world a better place..." (4.5 stars)

"A Better Place" is a disturbing and unsettling look at teen violence. This is a film that is so raw and brutal that it literally shakes you when you're not expecting it. Be warned, this is not a film to watch if you're looking for something to enjoy. This is as harsh and intense as it gets.

The movie tells the story of Barret Michaelson; the new kid in town. The first day at his new school he is picked on by almost everybody. He makes friends with Ryan; an isolated loaner who doesn't particularly like people in general. As time passes by, Ryan drags Barret further and further into his worldview of hate and darkness. It isn't long before things become violent and dangerous, leading to an unbelievably shocking and cruel finale.

It's hard to believe that this movie came from View Askew. Who would've thought they could've come out with something so intense and dark? As disturbing and chilling it is, it's an honest movie. It's not a glamorous film, and it's not trying to be one. That's why it's so effective. It has a raw and brutal feel to it all, and that's what makes it so powerful.

I thought the movie was very well-written and directed. I kind of felt that it could've been longer and that Ryan's character could've been expanded more. But for the most part, it's a very good movie. It reminds me of "Bully," except "A Better Place" is much more "slice-of-life" resembling. It's effective because it doesn't feel like a movie, but more like something that is actually happening.

The DVD has some special features, such as commentary, deleted scenes and more. There are some really cool Easter Eggs if you can find them. (Look at some of the other reviews, and you will find them.)

"A Better Place" is a shocking and unrelenting film that is as honest as it is disturbing. Not too many movies like this are out there. It may be a low budget movie, but the overall product is nothing low, I assure you. Be warned, this is a very uneasy movie to watch. Be prepared. July 11, 2003

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