Sundance. American Son.

"Politics turn very personal in American Son, director Neil Abramson's standout drama about a young Marine (Nick Cannon) on leave before shipping off to Iraq," writes Steve Ramos at indieWIRE. "It's the Iraq War movie audiences have been waiting to see, one that reduces the Iraq debate to the conflicts of one man facing his decision to enlist and coming to terms with all that he may lose back home as a result.... Abramson has made quality films before, dramas Without Air and Defining Maggie, documentaries Bob Smith USA and Soldier Child but American Son... looks to bring him the attention he deserves."

"Really, though, this isn't an Iraq movie," pleads Mike D'Angelo at ScreenGrab. "Think of it more as 25th Hour with combat duty in lieu of prison. Nothing that happens, least of all Mike's 'character arc,' is especially revelatory, but the film boasts an immediacy and specificity that puts most of this year's other American indies to shame. It's a rare film in which you genuinely feel as if you've just been plunked down in the middle of a life in progress; every character, no matter how small or insignificant, seems to have an existence that extends beyond the requirements of that particular scene."

"What a thrill to watch a small story get told with a focused intensity that leaves you breathless and simply in awe of the power of watching actors give honest direct performance," writes Mike Ryan at Hammer to Nail. "Not one second of this film felt off or untrue... Hollywood hasn't done a realistic romance like this one in a very long time, if I were a distributor I would be on this film in a second."

"American Son is blessed with a powerful, honest screenplay by first-timer Eric Schmid, and Cannon - who has always been charismatic, if nothing else - displays a remarkable talent for drama," writes Eric D Snider at Cinematical. Abramson's "eye for real human drama helps make American Son a compelling picture."

"This is conventional dramatic material played with an occasionally heavy hand, but sculpted with care and quiet assurance," writes Justin Chang in Variety.

Online viewing tip. Zoom In Online's "Meet the Artists" video with Abramson.

Posted by dwhudson at January 23, 2008 3:53 PM