INVENTING THE ABBOTTS

CAPSULE REVIEW –– The only reason to see this movie is for its cast, though their performances here are hardly remarkable. The film takes place in the 1950s and centers on the lust/love two young men – Crudup and Phoenix – have for the socially unattainable neighbor girls played by Going, Connelly and Tyler. What makes the whole thing unbearable is the ponderous pacing, unoriginal plot and lackluster acting. What could have been an interesting social commentary on class and sexuality in America at the time, is nothing more than a high school soap opera. There's not a single surprise in this film. Everything happens exactly as it should from the first frame to the last, which is probably why it feels like the film is playing in slow motion. Boring doesn't even begin to describe the experience. Connelly and Crudup bring energy and passion to the piece, but their roles are so small their presence is barely felt. Instead, we get to watch Tyler and Phoenix be pouty, self-conscious and awkward on the way to finding true love. Huh? It's easy to understand why they'd be friends, but they have absolutely no chemistry and seem to end up together because the story needed at least one Holt brother and one Abbott sister to find happiness together. Not good enough. A period piece locked down by its setting that wastes the talent of all involved.