Movie Breakdown: Low Down

People are doing traditional-style reviews all over the web, so we decided to try something different.  In each “breakdown” we’ll take a look at what a film’s marketing led us to believe, how the movie actually played, and then what we learned from it all.  Read on!

The Impression:

Low Down details the troubled life of famous jazz musician Joe Albany (played by John Hawkes).

The Reality:

Low Down is a film that I want to be able to rave about, as it’s beautifully shot and features some great performances (Elle Fanning is especially deserving of praise), but it constantly fumbles over itself and ends up falling flat.  The movie appears to be focused on all things Joe Albany – his relationship with his daughter, his love of music, his drug issues and so on – but none of these items are ever fully explored.  You get a glimpse, then it’s off to another scene where Joe either is getting along with his daughter or disappointing her.  Where’s the depth?  Low Down might have been memorable if it had any.  Skip it and watch something else.

The Lesson:

Give me a reason to love you.